Can we talk about how everyone says obsidian is always black?

I was reading a field guide from the Arizona Geological Survey and learned some obsidian can be green or even red due to trace elements. Has anyone here ever found a colored piece?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_luna2mo ago

Yeah, the whole 'obsidian is always black' thing is such a basic take. It's like people only know the stuff from video games or something. I've seen pictures of that rainbow sheen obsidian and even some that looks kinda rusty red. Makes you wonder what else they got wrong in those old textbooks, lol.

craig.reese2mo ago

True, but most obsidian you find is still just black glass. The colorful kinds are pretty rare in the real world. Maybe the old books were just talking about the common stuff.

the_seth1d ago

Right? @the_luna is totally right about that rainbow sheen stuff, I saw a video of it and it looked like someone spilled oil on it. People act like obsidian is just black and boring but there is AH-MAZING stuff out there. Even the "common black" glass has this sharpness to it that's pretty wild when you actually hold a piece. Old books probably just went with the easiest description, lazy writing if you ask me.