Obsidian

Obsidian is not exactly a stone, it is an exuberant rock that is formed as a result of the rapid solidification of lava. Obsidian is therefore a natural glass, hence its other names - volcanic glass and dragon rock. The obsidian stone is most often black in color, depending on the composition of the magma from which it is made, there are also obsidians in shades of gray and brown. It is easy to recognize thanks to the characteristic, glassy, mirror surface. It is opaque but translucent, and depending on the variety, it may have colored reflections inside. Snow obsidian is extremely desirable.

Types of obsidian

• Rainbow obsidian (iridescent) sparkles with many colors
• snow obsidian (floral) black obsidian with white flower-shaped spots resembling those that the frost "paints" on the windows
• blooming obsidian similar to snow obsidian
• golden obsidian A unique variety of rainbow obsidian shimmering gold
• silver obsidian black with silver iridescence
• brown obsidian brown in color, often with white spots

Obsidian- a bit of history

The name obsidian was put into use as early as 320 BC. It was first used by Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher of nature. The origin of the name is attributed to the Obsius tribe, who once inhabited the territory of present-day Ethiopia. The second theory is that the name comes from Obisius, who was supposed to be a Roman discoverer of volcanic glass.

Dragon glass gives very sharp and hard edges so it was a good material for tools. Already the oldest human culture used it to make weapons and tools. In Mesopotamia, additionally, sculptures and ornaments were made of it, and the Maya and Aztecs even made mirrors of it.

Nowadays, obsidian is mainly used in sculpture and jewelry. Thanks to unusual light effects, beautiful jewelry is made of obsidian. Obsidian beads are relatively inexpensive and have an exclusive appearance. Volcanic glass jewelery should only be cleaned with lukewarm water.