TEKTITES — When An Asteroid and Earth Collide

The following three lots are tektites, silicated glass formations whose origin was long considered a mystery. Today scientists agree the phenomena, whose name comes from the Greek tektos, meaning “melted,” occurs when an asteroid slams into Earth. The extraordinary heat and pressure resulting from this apocalyptic explosion liquefies terrestrial rocks, which is then splashed into the upper atmosphere, and returns 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, Libyan Desert Glass, Moldavites, (from the Moldau River Region), etc. The higher the silica content of the material melted and splashed, the lighter the color. Libyan Desert Glass is 98% silica (molten sand) and is sunny yellow; Moldavites contain 80% silica and cover a range of greens. The three tektites offered below represent such different visions of beauty in natural glass.