In addition to making knives and mirrors, Obsidian was also used to make talismans for protection. Each volcanic explosion creates a unique type of Obsidian, and so it is relatively easy to trace trading routes. Obsidian was widely traded throughout both South and North America. These mirrors were carved out of pure Black Obsidian and were said to reveal a person’s flaws as well as the steps needed to make the appropriate change. The name Tezcatlipoca translates to mean “smoking mirror,” likely a direct reference to Obsidian mirrors used by Mayan priests for divination and shamanic purposes. When the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice, it was an Obsidian knife that was wielded. He was depicted as a Jaguar, an incredibly potent symbol for spiritual power and authority. Tezcatlipoca was the god of night, storms, kings, shamans, war, and beauty.
In Central and North America, Obsidian was a symbol of Tezcatlipoca, the chief god of the Aztec religion. Obsidian was also widely used in the Americas. It was also used to heal wounds and alleviate pain. During the ancient and medieval period, Obsidian was thought to drive out demons, and was used as an aid in rituals. The actual name “Obsidian” was first used by Pliny the Elder (CE23-79) who named it after a Roman citizen/explorer, Obsius, who “discovered” it in Ethiopia. In Egypt, Obsidian knives were used for ceremonial circumcisions, as well as to make mirrors and various decorative objects found in tombs. Try it in combination with PeridotĪt the dawn of human civilization and writing, we know that Obsidian was definitely being used for ritual purposes. It is thought that the different colors are due to differing cooling rates of the molten lava.īlack Obsidian ’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment. Rainbow Obsidian and Red Sheen have a similar iridescences, but the colors actually come from nanoparticles of Magnetite.
#Black obsidian stone series
These bubbles have been stretched nearly flat in a series of layers which reflect back light with a metallic glow, such as Gold Sheen and Silver Sheen. This effect is usually created by small inclusions of waver vapor bubbles trapped in the glass. Rare forms of Obsidian have a colorful sheen that appears when moved in the light. Obsidian is typically jet black, however the inclusion of various minerals can create opaque colored varieties such Mahogany (red and black) or Snowflake (white and black). It is sometimes referred as “volcanic glass” due to its glass-like texture.
Obsidian is formed when lava from a volcanic explosion solidifies so quickly that there is no time for mineral crystals to grow within it.
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