RAINBOW OBSIDIAN FREEFORM. ...

Description

RAINBOW OBSIDIAN FREEFORM
Mexico
Caused by the swift cooling of volcanic lava, obsidian is not in fact a mineral but a form of glass, with no true crystals. The cooling is so rapid - even from the typical temperatures between 780 and 820 Celsius - that true crystals have insufficient time to form; in some instances however the similarly-structured crystallites, or grains, orient parallel to the flow structure creating the ghostly colored banding suggestive of a rainbow. Shimmering seemingly just below the surface of this beautiful and highly polished freeform are visible shades of purple, green and gold, and the piece has been artfully carved to highlight the lovely concentric patterning in this natural volcanic glass, measuring 4¾ x 4 1/8 x 1 5/8 inches.

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