Apache Tears
obsidian (marekanite nodules in perlite)
Obsidian nodules that survived when the surrounding glass hydrated into crumbly perlite, mineralogists call them marekanite. The American name comes from a nineteenth-century Arizona legend about Apache women weeping for warriors who died at Big Picacho, a story of contested and probably settler origin. People carry it for grief, protection and shadow work.
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Mineral facts
Hardness
5-6 Mohs
Formula
SiO2 glass
Family
volcanic glass
Where it comes from
USA (Superior, Arizona; Nevada; New Mexico), Mexico, Russia (Marekanka River, type locality)
What it is
Obsidian nodules that survived when the surrounding glass hydrated into crumbly perlite, mineralogists call them marekanite. The American name comes from a nineteenth-century Arizona legend about Apache women weeping for warriors who died at Big Picacho, a story of contested and probably settler origin. Small, translucent, and traditionally the grief stone of the trade.
What it is confused with
black-obsidian, smoky-quartz, black-tourmaline, hematite, smoky-glass
Small rounded-to-lumpy nodules, typically 1, 4 cm, with a distinctive dimpled, pockmarked, hydration-etched outer skin like a chewed pebble, that texture is diagnostic, because the nodules weathered out of grey perlite that hydrated around them. Almost always translucent smoky brown-grey when held to a light, even when they look black in the hand. Chipped areas show glassy conchoidal fracture. Tumbled ones lose the dimpling and become smooth translucent brown-black lozenges.
How to tell
Hold to a bright light, Apache tears transmit smoky brown light through the whole nodule, unlike solid black obsidian pieces of the same size. The dimpled natural surface and small nodular size are the giveaway. Softer than quartz.
What it means for you
The Moon is at 1° Scorpio today. Apache Tears is a volcanic glass, 5-6 on the Mohs scale, and it is the stone traditionally carried when the problem is proximity rather than intensity.
You know what this one would do for you. You just don't have it.
Apache Tears for every sign
Aries
Hold one to a lamp and the whole nodule glows brown.
Mineralogists call them marekanite: obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite. The weeping-women story attached to them is a nineteenth-century American legend of contested and probably settler origin. Hold one to a lamp and the whole nodule glows brown.
Taurus
The dimpled skin is the natural surface.
Obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, which mineralogists call marekanite. The dimpled skin is the natural surface, and polishing it off destroys the identification. The weeping story is a nineteenth-century American legend of contested origin.
Gemini
The legend is nineteenth century and probably settler-made.
Mineralogists call these marekanite: obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite. The weeping name comes from a nineteenth-century Arizona legend of contested and probably settler origin. Hold one to a lamp and the whole nodule glows brown.
Cancer
What is left is only what did not dissolve.
The trade sells these as the grief stone on the strength of a nineteenth-century Arizona legend of contested and probably settler origin. Mineralogically they are marekanite, obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite. What is left is what did not dissolve.
Leo
Held to a lamp, the black turns translucent brown.
Mineralogists call them marekanite: obsidian nodules that survived when the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, which is where the pockmarked skin comes from. Held to a lamp they turn translucent smoky brown. The weeping story is a nineteenth-century American legend of uncertain origin.
Virgo
The dimpled skin is evidence. Do not polish it off.
Mineralogists call them marekanite. They are obsidian nodules that survived when the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, and the dimpled etched skin is the evidence of it. Do not let anyone polish that off. The Arizona weeping legend attached to the name is a nineteenth-century story of contested origin.
Libra
Hold one to a lamp and the black turns brown.
Marekanite: obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, which is why the skin is dimpled and etched. Hold one to a lamp and the black turns translucent brown. The American name comes from a nineteenth-century Arizona legend of contested and probably settler origin.
Scorpio
They survived while everything around them crumbled.
Obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, which mineralogists call marekanite. Held to a lamp, the whole nodule transmits smoky brown. The weeping-women story is a nineteenth-century American legend of contested origin rather than documented Apache tradition.
Sagittarius
Mineralogists call them marekanite, after a river in far eastern Russia.
Obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into perlite. Mineralogists call them marekanite, after a river in far eastern Russia. The Arizona name comes from a nineteenth-century legend of contested and probably settler origin.
Capricorn
They survived while everything around them fell apart.
Obsidian nodules that survived while the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite. Mineralogists call them marekanite. The American name comes from a nineteenth-century Arizona legend of contested and probably settler origin, which is worth knowing before you repeat it.
Aquarius
Mineralogists call these marekanite.
Mineralogists call these marekanite. They are obsidian nodules that survived when the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite, which is where the dimpled skin comes from. The tears story is a nineteenth-century American legend of contested origin and should be labelled as one.
Pisces
Hold one to a lamp and it goes translucent throughout.
They look like opaque black pebbles until you hold one to a lamp and it goes smoky translucent throughout. The dimpled skin is where the glass around them hydrated into crumbly perlite and left the cores behind. The tears story is a nineteenth-century legend of uncertain origin.
Correspondences
What tradition attaches to this stone. Folklore, not chemistry.
Element
water
Planet
Pluto
Chakra
root, heart
Signs
scorpio, pisces, capricorn
What tradition says
In crystal lore, Apache tears are associated with grief and with grieving without being consumed by it; the app should present the origin story as a nineteenth-century American legend of uncertain provenance rather than as documented Apache tradition.
Care
- Water is fine. Dry it afterwards.
- Inert and water-safe. Small and easy to lose; the natural dimpled skin is part of the specimen and should not be polished off if you value it.
Common questions
What does apache tears mean?
Apache Tears is carried for grief, protection and shadow work. Obsidian nodules that survived when the surrounding glass hydrated into crumbly perlite, mineralogists call them marekanite.. Tradition links it to the root, heart chakra.
Is apache tears real or fake?
Apache Tears is not faked often, but it is still worth checking. Hold to a bright light, Apache tears transmit smoky brown light through the whole nodule, unlike solid black obsidian pieces of the same size. The dimpled natural surface and small nodular size are the giveaway.
Can apache tears go in water?
A short rinse is fine for apache tears, then dry it.
Common · smoky black-brown, translucent grey-brown, near-black
Where this leads
This stone belongs to
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From the Grimoire
FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND REFLECTION. NOT MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, FINANCIAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. How this works