We are interrupting the Quartz series to tell you about some not well-known natural glass. We will continue the Quartz series in the near future.
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Is Obsidian Glass?
A lot of people do not know Obsidian is really a natural volcanic glass. It is normally black in color because of the iron oxide and magnesium in it. Obsidian forms when exposed to air or water and it can contain small bubbles of air. These bubbles can create color effects such as a golden sheen (Sheen Obsidian) and rainbow sheen (Rainbow Obsidian).
For applications when extremely fine cutting action is required Obsidian scalpels may provide the answer. It’s known to be used as a sharp edge weapon by the ancient people. Native Americans traded Obsidian as a commodity in Europe. It was also used in crystal work. A lot of ancient people believed Obsidian was a truth teller. In Mexico it is called ITZLI, which means a stone of divine. Mexicans used it in graves.
The Obsidian cliffs, located seven miles north of Norris Junction near Yellowstone National Park, are approximately 180,00 years old. By using geo chemical evidence found in samples of Obsidian made tools (used by ancient people) Obsidian has been traced to Hopewell mounds, (east of Mississippi River) Guatemala and Mexico. It’s also known to be called Apache Tears.
Obsidian can be found worldwide. Wherever there is volcanic activity, Obsidian is mostly likely to be found there. Most notable locations are Mexico, USA, Norway, Iceland, and Russia. Like Obsidian, there is another natural glass called Moldavite. It is a natural green glass that falls into earth. Moldavite is available in Czechoslovakia. We’ll talk more about Moldavite next week.
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