Lithophagy is an ingestion of stones.Александр Паничев, Литофагия: причины феномена The term comes from Greek roots .
The term was suggested in 1922 by Pyotr Dravert.Федорова А.И. Свойства и действие природных минералов (обзор литературы) In Russian literature the term may also refer to geophagia.
Discussion Stones are found ingested by many animals. These called gastroliths.Wings O. 2007. A review of gastrolith function with implications for fossil vertebrates and a revised classification. Acta Palaeontol Pol52:1–16. In many cases the reason for this is unknown. Stones may be ingested to grind food or to serve as a ballast for aquatic animals.T J Uriona, M Lyon, C G Farmer, Lithophagy Prolongs Voluntary Dives in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)
Walter Henry Medhurst describes a practice of "eating stones" in 19th-century ChinaA Glance at the Interior of China Obtained During a Journey Through the Silk and Green Tea Districts Taken in 1845 By Walter Henry Medhurst · 1845 p 15 and Brian S-K Li reported eating of stones as a literary trope in late imperial China (ca. 1550–1800).Brian S-K Li, The Stone-Eaters: Lithophagy and Scholarly Fantasies of Ascetic Diets in Late Imperial China, 17 September 2025
A street food fad of fried stones called suodiu or suodui () as reported in China in 2023.*Chinese culinary craze of stir-fried stones rocks the internet World’s hardest dish? Stir-fried stones are China’s latest street food fad Unveiling the Enigma: Chinese dish 'Suodui' challenges culinary norms with pebbles as the main ingredient
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