This document provides information about building materials and construction techniques using masonry, specifically stone and bricks. It discusses the different types of rocks based on their geological origin (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and describes the rock formation process. Requirements for building stone are outlined. Common stones used in Ethiopia include basalt, trachyte, granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, ignimbrite, pumice and scoria. Bricks are discussed as well, including their advantages, manufacturing process using clay soils, and the functions of constituent elements in clay.