The archeological relics prove that the stone crafts of Orissa bear a rich cultural heritage that has been embedded in the soil since antiquity. The stone crafts have a great impact on the socio cultural background of Orissa as well. The artisans possess immense dexterity and maintain a high degree of creativity. Some of these artisans have been in this particular occupation for generations.

The artisans mainly use marbles, soapstone, black granite and sandstone to create different items with the help of simple tools like hammers and chisel. Each region has a distinct form of carving and the style differs from one another. The artisans of Pathuriasahi are adept at creating superb stone carving that are mainly found in the temple architectures and figurines. They prefer to use soapstone for providing form to their creations. The artisans of Balasore and its surrounding villages are dexterous in creating utilitarian utensils out of semi hard stone encompassing pots, glass, ashtrays, plates, dolls etc. Even different types of containers made up of kochila stone, sandstone, nilgiri stone, soap stone, kendumundi stone, serpentine stone and soft stone are available in the local markets of Orissa.

The stone crafts of Orissa are perfect for the excellent carving found in the temples of Orissa like the Lingaraja temple, Gopunath temple, Jagannath temple, and the Sun temple in Konark. Puri has been noted for outstanding stone work that dates back to the Kalinga School. The wonderful carvings in the temples testify the creative exuberance of the artisans of Orissa.

The deft craftsmen of Orissa, apart from creating replicas of religious deities and carving temples, create different articles that are used as utilitarian objects and sometimes are used as souvenirs. The artisans of Mangalpur near Balasore create different articles including utensils from the semi-grey stone of Khichinga. A variety of figurines and some utilitarian items like ash-trays, vases and bowls. The stone works of Orissa produced in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Lalitagiri and Khiching are considered to be in huge demand and have a perfect blend of artistry and socio cultural aspects.

The stone crafts of Orissa have long been praised because of the style it carries and the authenticity of the craftsmanship it have been bearing since the dawn of artistic evolution.