| Abalone
Shell |
Any
of various large edible marine gastropods of the genus Haliotis, having
an ear-shaped shell with a row of holes along the outer edge. The
colorful pearly interior of the shell is often used for making
ornaments. Also called ear shell. |
| Alabaster |
A
type of gypsum that is very soft. Comes in variety of colors. Most comes
from Colorado and Nevada. |
| Amber |
Tree
resin that has hardened and been preserved in the earth's crust for
millions of years. From the Baltic region and the Dominican Republic. |
| Ammonite
Fossil |
Fossils
of cephalopod mollusks, along with squid and octopuses. Some are over
100 million years old. |
| Antler |
Primarily
from deer and alk, although moose or caribou antler is used. Brought to
Zuni by traders. |
| Azurite |
A
deep blue mineral often found with turquoise in copper deposits. |
| Black
Marble |
A
type of limestone found primarily in Europe. Provides great surface for
sgrafitto carving. |
| Boulder
Opal |
Ironstone
based mineral that is mined in Australia. |
| Calcite |
The
primary ore of calcium. Usually imported from Mexico. |
| Chrysocolla |
Blue
or green mineral often found with turquoise in copper deposits. |
| Coral |
An
undersea organism first imported into Zuni in the 1930's. It is now a
rarity. From the Mediterranean. |
| Dolomite |
A
type of limestone; or a dolomite rock that comes from Mexico. |
| Egyptian
Marble |
A
hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for
sculpture and as building material |
| Fish
Rock |
Fish
Rock is serpentine, a very common mineral found worldwide and appears in
a wide range of colors. |
| Fluorite |
Flourite
occurs throughout the world and occurs in unflawed crystals in beautiful
colors. |
| Fossil |
A
remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age, such as a
skeleton or leaf imprint, embedded and preserved in the earth's crust |
| Fossilized
Ivory |
A
remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age, such as a
skeleton or leaf imprint, embedded and preserved in the earth's crust |
| Fossilized
Jasper |
A
remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age, such as a
skeleton or leaf imprint, embedded and preserved in the earth's crust |
| Fossilized
Snail |
A
remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age, such as a
skeleton or leaf imprint, embedded and preserved in the earth's crust |
| Indian
Paint |
Comes
from Nevada with tan, black and brick red markings. A type of jasper. |
| Iron
Pyrite |
Fool's
gold |
| Ivory |
Ivory
used today is fossilized ivory from Alaska. Elephant ivory is no longer
used. |
| Jasper |
A
fine grained quartz. |
| Jet |
A
hard black type of lignite coal mined for centuries around Acoma Pueblo. |
| Labradorite |
Labradorite
is an unusual mineral that reflects light and disperses it into
different colors. From Finland and Russia usually. |
| Lapis |
A
mineral found in Afghanistan and Chile |
| Limestone |
A
sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the
remains of marine animals |
| Malachite |
A
secondary copper mineral found in oxidized copper deposits. Much comes
from the Congo. |
| Mother
of Pearl Shell |
The
iridescent inside of a shell. |
| Obsidian |
Natural
glass used by some Native Americans in the manufacture of arrowheads and
points. |
| Onyx |
Onys
is a form of agate with parallel banding. This structure lends itself to
cameo making. Onyx is a species of chalcedony |
| Orange
Alabaster |
A
type of gypsum that is very soft. Comes in variety of colors. Most comes
from Colorado and Nevada. |
| Picasso
Marble |
A
type of limestone from southwestern Utah. Found in tans, browns, gerys,
white and black. |
| Pipestone |
Catlinite
is a hardened clay mixture tinted red by iron. Used by Plains Indians
for ceremonial pipes. Most from Minnesota. |
| Rainbow
Calsilica |
A
stablized material appearing in seams of color in the host rock
(volcanic rhyolite). From Mexico |
| Red
Slag |
Vitreous
materials containing impurities from the ore and forming on the surface
of molten metals |
| Rosetta |
A
form of basalt. |
| Selenite |
A
Crystalline gypsum from Utah. |
| Sepertarian |
Clay
ironstone with yellow to white calcite crystals from Utah. |
| Serpentine |
Serpentine
is a very common mineral found worldwide and appears in a wide range of
colors. |
| Slag |
Vitreous
materials containing impurities from the ore and forming on the surface
of molten metals |
| Soap
Stone |
A
brownish stone found in Colorado. |
| Spiny
Oyster Shell |
Spondylus
oyster shows red, orange or purple on the outside and white on the
inside. |
| Sugulite |
A
manganese mineral introduced from South Africa around 1979. |
| Tigers
Eye |
Yellow-brown
quartz from South Africa. |
| Travertine |
Also
known as "Mexican onyx, it is a variety of calcite. |
| Turquoise |
Copper
aluminum phosphate. The bluer, the more copper. Mined in tunnel and
open-pit mines throughout the Southwest. |
| Variscite |
Greenish
aluminum phosphate primarily from Utah and Nevada. |
| Vermillion |
The
crystalline (metallic and sub-metallic) varieties are generally harder
than the earthy (non-metallic) varieties.
An ore of iron. |
| White
Marble |
Metamorphosed
limestone or dolomite. |
| Wild
Horse |
A
form of jasper found in Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho |
| Wonder
Stone |
Wonderstone
is a natural stone that is quarried in South Africa and
it is made up of 58% Silica and 30% Alumina. |
| Zebra
Stone |
A
black and white marble from Utah. Also called "skunk rock" |
| Zuni
Stone |
Non-crystalline
travertine found on the Zuni reservation. |
