Sahara Desert Tektites are silicated glass formations whose origin was long considered a mystery. Today scientists agree the phenomenon, whose name comes from the Greek tektos, meaning “melted,” occurs when an asteroid impacts Earth. The extraordinary heat and pressure resulting from this cataclysmic explosion liquefies terrestrial rocks, which are then splashed into the upper atmosphere, and return to Earth as solidified glass. Tektites are terrestrial in origin and are named after the locality in which they are found, hence: Australites, Indochinites, Phillipinites, Moldavites, Libyan Desert Glass, etc. The higher the silica content of the material melted, the lighter the color. Libyan Desert Glass is 98% silica (molten sand) and is sunny yellow; Moldavites which originate from what was formerly part of Czechoslovakia, contain 80% silica and cover a range of greens. This is an very good translucent example of the smooth, golden tektites found in the sands of the Sahara Desert between Libya and Egypt. With distinct scalloping at the top, another face is smooth, the result of countless years of sandblasting by desert winds. 67 x 44 x 41mm (2.5 x 1.75 x 1.5in) and 125 grams
Sahara Desert Tektites are silicated glass formations whose origin was long considered a mystery. Today scientists agree the phenomenon, whose name comes from the Greek tektos, meaning “melted,” occurs when an asteroid impacts Earth. The extraordinary heat and pressure resulting from this cataclysmic explosion liquefies terrestrial rocks, which are then splashed into the upper atmosphere, and return to Earth as solidified glass. Tektites are terrestrial in origin and are named after the locality in which they are found, hence: Australites, Indochinites, Phillipinites, Moldavites, Libyan Desert Glass, etc. The higher the silica content of the material melted, the lighter the color. Libyan Desert Glass is 98% silica (molten sand) and is sunny yellow; Moldavites which originate from what was formerly part of Czechoslovakia, contain 80% silica and cover a range of greens. This is an very good translucent example of the smooth, golden tektites found in the sands of the Sahara Desert between Libya and Egypt. With distinct scalloping at the top, another face is smooth, the result of countless years of sandblasting by desert winds. 67 x 44 x 41mm (2.5 x 1.75 x 1.5in) and 125 grams
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
