Obsidian spear point: A spear point fashioned from opaque black obsidian. The best way to learn about rocks is to have specimens available for testing and examination. The conchoidal fracture of obsidian causes it to break into pieces with curved surfaces. This type of fracturing can produce rock fragments with very sharp edges. These sharp fragments may have prompted the first use of obsidian by people.
The first use of obsidian by people probably occurred when a sharp piece of obsidian was used as a cutting tool. People then discovered how to skillfully break the obsidian to produce cutting tools in a variety of shapes. Obsidian was used to make knives, arrowheads, spear points, scrapers, and many other weapons and tools.
Once these discoveries were made, obsidian quickly became the raw material of preference for producing almost any sharp object. The easy-to-recognize rock became one of the first targets of organized "mining. Apache tears: "Apache Tears" is a name used for small obsidian nodules of about one inch or less that can be found in volcanic areas of the southwestern United States. Their name comes from a Native American legend. During a battle between Apaches and the U.
Cavalry in , the outnumbered Apaches, facing defeat, rode their horses over a cliff rather than allow themselves to be killed by their enemy. Upon hearing the story of the battle, the tears of their family members turned to stone when they hit the ground. Those stones are now found as the black obsidian nodules. People who do rock tumbling often polish Apache Tears.
They are difficult to polish because the obsidian chips and bruises easily. Success occurs when they are cushioned during the tumbling with smaller pieces of rough or small ceramic media. The manufacture of obsidian tools by humans dates back to the Stone Age. At some locations, tons of obsidian flakes reveal the presence of ancient "factories.
Making arrowheads, spear points, knife blades, and scrapers from obsidian, chert , or flint might have been the world's first "manufacturing industry.
Obsidian was so valued for these uses that ancient people mined, transported, and traded obsidian and obsidian objects over distances of up to a thousand miles. Archaeologists have been able to document the geography of this trade by matching the characteristics of obsidian in outcrops with the characteristics of obsidian in cutting tools.
A study done by the Idaho National Laboratory used composition studies by X-ray fluorescence to identify the source outcrops of obsidian artifacts and map their use across the western United States. Although using a rock as a cutting tool might sound like "stone age equipment," obsidian continues to play an important role in modern surgery. Obsidian can be used to produce a cutting edge that is thinner and sharper than the best surgical steel.
Here are the different kinds of Obsidian to help you select the stone you love the best. The poster child stone for the title of Obsidian, Black Obsidian is as dark as night and is a powerful tool for those seeking protection, grounding, deep-set healing and tearing the fabric of falsity to find the truth. With its luminous colors dancing beneath the surface, Rainbow Obsidian is a dreamy poetic stone.
Like swirling colors in oil, this stone is also used for grounding and centering the wearer. It is also used to keep the root chakra in check. A flurry of wonder comes with the Snowflake Obsidian Stone , where dancing patterns of white float beneath the dark surface.
This is a stone known for its ability to help you shift patterns and comes with all kinds of soothing vibes to temper frayed nerves. The rich color scheme that ripples through Mahogany Obsidian is known for its fiercely protective powers. For anyone having a vulnerable moment, Mahogany Obsidian makes sure that all attacks are warded off.
The glimmer of the Golden Obsidian Stone is striking. This stone is all about stimulating growth, keeping you protected, and connecting with that root chakra — AKA the very essence of how we feel safe in this world. As a highly protective stone, Obsidian is ever ready to keep your whole body ready for action and this means helping every inch stay detoxed. For a start, Obsidian is excellent when it comes to keeping your circulation in full and healthy flow. Obsidian can also be extremely useful to those who suffer from digestive issues and is amazing for those who have problems with the gall bladder.
In fact, the Obsidian Stone simply wants you to thrive to your fullest health. It is a crystal that keeps your heart beating full and loud and healthy, and a crystal that calls into being deep tissue healing so your body can rejuvenate and be fresh, youthful, and full of fire.
Protective and perfectly poised to help you heal deeply, the Obsidian Stone is best known for keeping you in the clear when it comes to negative emotions and negative energy. It is a companion stone that truly helps you to feel safe. Without the night there is no day, without the darkness there is no light.
This is where Obsidian swoops in to serve you. It is a truth-seeker stone and rather than encourage you to walk in falsehood, it is more about finding ways to face up to all the different angles of yourself so that you are full and ready and invulnerable when it is finally time to step into that light. In short, Obsidian gives you all the courage you need to explore the unknown, embrace who you truly are, and to dissolve old traumas and stop holding onto all that which is no longer serving you.
When you follow through with the art of letting go and facing up to your deeper self, there is so much room for growth and before you know it- those branches that you may have inadvertently been clipping are ready to reach for the sky.
One of the strongest connections you can expect from your Obsidian Stone is its ability to strengthen your root chakra. This is one of the most important chakras we have as it is known for keeping us grounded no matter what is going on in the world around us. When the root chakra is blocked, we feel untethered and suddenly unstable, as though danger or negativity waits at every turn. Since obsidian is made of natural glass, it's pretty easy to keep clean. More porous materials aren't great with water, but you can definitely polish up your obsidian with water and even a bit of soap if need be.
You can let it air dry in the sun, and it won't fade in color. There are some sharper cuts of obsidian available, and if you do have a piece with rough or sharp edges, Leavy notes to be mindful of that when working with them and to store them in a cloth, to ensure none of the edges break off.
Rounded pieces tend to be easier and safer to work with. To clear your crystal, Leavy suggests cleansing it in a way that's not culturally appropriative, i. With so many varieties, benefits, and uses, it's safe to say any crystal enthusiast would want to include a piece or two of obsidian in their collection.
Whether you want to gain deep insights from your dreams, ground your energy, or do deep inner healing, obsidian might just be your next go-to stone. Want your passion for wellness to change the world?
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Main Navigation. Log in Profile. Saved Articles. Contact Support. Log Out. Your cart is empty. Our online classes and training programs allow you to learn from experts from anywhere in the world. The main entrance to your home is how energy, people, and opportunities come into your home and your life. If your front door happens to fall in the center third of your home, rather than closer to the left or right side, it is in the career area, called Kan in Chinese.
Kan is connected to the water element and the color black, so black obsidian could be especially supportive in this position.
Your bedroom is the area of your home that is most closely connected to you, so black obsidian in your bedroom can help with personal protection. Another way you can use black obsidian or another black stone in your home for protection is to create a grid: place one stone in each corner of your home or under each corner of your bed. Your kitchen represents how you nourish yourself, as well as your resources.
If you feel like you need protection around your food and nourishment, or if you feel like you need to protect your resources, try placing black obsidian here. Your home office or workspace represents your career. Black obsidian on your desk or in your home office can be helpful if you feel like you need more protective energy in your work life.
Protection is a popular topic that feng shui practitioners often get asked about, but we encourage you not to take a fear-based approach. The best form of protection is focusing on yourself , so find ways to work on your own self-improvement rather than just blocking out other people or energies.
This might mean working with a trained expert in a modality that resonates with you, so that you can dig deeper into what is really going on when it comes to your desire for protection. Black obsidian is also used to show us our own reflections, including parts that may have been hidden or unacknowledged.
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