Just a few of the descriptive names for the array of shapes that tektites are found in. The study of these forms (morphology) helps provide clues to how the shapes were created. Each tektite form tells a story of how it was sculpted in mid-air as it dropped back to earth.
Less explored is the study of impact glass morphology. Impact glasses differ from tektites in slight ways. They usually have more inclusions, a slightly higher water content and are rarely found in aerodynamic forms. Also, the area they are found in (known as a strewn field) is much smaller.
Whereas the Australasian strewn field stretches for thousands of kilometers- the diameter of the Darwin Glass strewnfield is estimated to cover about 40 kilometers. This area is probably one of the best sites on the planet to compare and contrast the differences of form between impact glass and tektites.
The most common forms for Darwin Glass are twisted, irregular, globular masses. Looking like abstract black-green glass sculptures these are the ones that you're most likely to see for sale on the internet. Rarely, Darwin Glass can take on beautiful, aerodynamic shapes similar to tektites. These are the shapes I hope to showcase over the coming weeks.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be providing book updates and I'll be posting some of the nicest pieces I found during my recent visit to Tasmania. I welcome your comments about these shapes and would love to hear about unique examples from other collections.
One of the most interesting shapes I've found can best be described as a “U”-shape. Out of the many pieces of glass I found- only 5 showed anything approaching this form. Has any other impact site in the world produced anything close to this?
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| Measures 3.4 cm long x 2 cm wide and weighs 5 grams. Believe it or not- this was a surface find! I've never seen anything else like it! Have you? |
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| Measures 4 cm x 2.2 cm and weighs 5.3 grams. This was one of the first pieces I found and is one of my favorites! Note that this piece also has a "U" shape that formed on its surface. I tried backlighting the specimen to show the flow lines emanating from the center. Reminiscent of "angel-wing" Moldavite. |
Book Update #1
You may be wondering- How can someone write an entire book about a dull-colored and little-known stone locked away in one of the remotest rain forests on the planet?
It is a question that I asked over and over when I first got the idea to work on a book about tektites. Unlike the hundreds of contemporary books written about brightly colored gemstones and diamonds- I can't wax poetic about human desire or color. Rather, there is a lot of new and interesting earth science to introduce to the general public.
This first book (of a series) is partly an introduction to impacts on earth and attempts to explain how and why impact glass is created. Juxtaposed with this scientific narrative is a travel story that explores Tasmania's unique ecology, cultural history and hundreds of years of scientific thought as it pertains to life on the island.
The more I discover about these stones the more fascinating they become. I hope that you'll share in this fascination that I, and many others, have developed for these very uniquely formed stones.
Kickstarter
I'm almost ready to launch a "kickstarter" campaign to help finance the many costs associated with the publication and professional editing of the book. If you're unfamiliar with kickstarter- its a type of crowdsource funding where I need to reach a monetary goal in order to be successfully funded. To help fund the publication of the book you'll be able to pre-order a copy of the book or purchase other unique and interesting rewards. Next blog post will have a link to the campaign.
