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Color: Obsidian is usually black but other colors are brown,
gray, red, blue, green, clear, orange and yellow.
Description: Obsidian is
a natural glass of volcanic origin that is formed by the rapid cooling of viscous lava. Obsidian is extremely rich in silica
(about 35 to 80 percent) and is low in water. Obsidian is made of the same minerals as granite but cooled so quickly that
they did not have time to crystalize. Obsidian has a glassy lustre and is slightly harder than window glass. Though Obsidian
is usually jet- black in color, the presence of hematite produces red and brown varieties, and the inclusion of tiny gas bubbles
may create a golden sheen. Obsidian in attractive and variegated colors is often used as a semi-precios stone.
Origin
of the name: Obsidian is named after Obsius of Ethiopia who discovered the stone.
Varieties: Black colored Obsidian with grayish-white inclusions which
resemble snowflakes is often called snowflake obsidian.
Care and Treatment:
Obsidian is fairly fragile. Avoid sharp blows as it will crack.
History of the stone:
Obsidian has been used for thousands of years for toolmaking. In 1967 archaeologists working at the site of Tlapacoya, southeast
of Mexico city, uncovered a well made blade of obsidian, with a radio-carbon date of 21,000 B.C. Sharp shards of Obsidian
were formed into arrow-heads by American Indians who obtained large quantities of obsidian from the obsidian cliffs of
Yellowstone Park. The Aztecs used obsidian for tools, including sacrificial knives, the eyes of carvings of there gods and
even as mirrors. Obsidian is used for dating; Obsidian ages at a uniform rate and the thickness of the weathered layer is
measured microscopically and gauged against known standards to give a date in years. Obsidian has been used for jewelry for
centuries.
Mystical powers: Obsidian is often used to gain clear
insight into problems. Obsidian stabilizes and is a chastiser.
Deposits: Well
known deposits of Obsidian are Mount Hekla in Iceland, the Eolie Islands off the coast of Italy and the obsidian cliffs of
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Obsidian is also found in Hawaii, Japan and Java. Dark pieces found in Arizona and
New Mexico are called Apache Tears.
Minerology: Obsidian has a hardness
of 5.
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