Obsidian

Overview
Obsidian is a naturally occurring very dark glass that is sometimes called a mineral. Obsidian is produced from erupting volcanoes when the right conditions are present. Obsidian is said to help balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Obsidian is found in North America, Italy, Scotland, and other countries. Obsidian was highly valued in ancient times and was often used as points for blades and weapons.

About the Stone

Obsidian sits at a 5-5.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Obsidian is created when lava erupts from a volcano, but only when certain conditions are met:

1. There needs to be a large amount of silica in the environment (this accounts for 70% of obsidian's composition)
2. The lava must cool rapidly , freezing before in it has time for crystal growth.

Pure obsidian is dark, but impurities usually result in dark green, brown, black, and gray coloring. Other impurities result in stones known as snowflake obsidian, golden obsidian, apache tears, and rainbow obsidian.

Obsidian is found in many places in North America, Armenia, Italy, Mexico, Greece, and Scotland.

Obsidian: Past and Present

Obsidian is a very useful material. Because is has no crystal structure, Obsidian blades can reach molecular thinness, making it a great asset to both modern and ancient times.

In earlier civilizations, obsidian was highly valued and traded across great distances. It’s amazing ability to fracture into sharp edges made it perfect for hunting weapons such as arrowheads, and spear heads. It also came in handy for weapons of war, and was used in some gruesome and deadly battles.

Obsidian is still used today for its precision. It is carefully carved into the blade of a scalpel used in some cardiac surgeries. The uniqueness of this natural glass results in a cleaner cut that causes less tissue damage. The end result is less scar tissue and a faster healing process.

Metaphysical Properties

Obsidian is thought of as a protective stone, used to remove negativity, and defend to gentle from abuse. Obsidian has great healing powers and helps to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Obsidian is great protection from infections, and a wonderful grounding stone.

Obsidian in Jewelry

Just because obsidian is not technically a "gemstone" but instead a naturally occurring glass, don’t count it out as a wonderful addition to your collection. Obsidian, particularly apache tears and snowflake obsidian make wonderful pieces of jewelry, particularly as cabochons and in carvings.