Red Sheen Obsidian Meaning

Red Sheen Obsidian has a bright and vibrant energy, very different than pure black Obsidian. It is an empowering stone that awakens our hidden talents and best qualities. Red Sheen Obsidian is a stone of Truth, bluntly revealing to us what is real and what is false, without pretense or apology. It can help us to “wake up” and to understand what is really happening in the world around us, and to face that reality without fear or denial. It invites us to rise up to any challenge, and to make a positive difference in whatever way we are most able. Red Sheen Obsidian helps us to balance our male/female energies and to know when to be fierce and when to be gentle. It invites us to live life more fully alive, and to not waste a single moment of this precious gift.

Obsidian is formed when lava from a volcanic explosion solidifies so quickly that there is no time for mineral crystals to grow within it. It is sometimes referred as “volcanic glass” due to its glass-like texture. Obsidian is typically jet black, however the inclusion of various minerals can sometimes create colored varieties such as red-brown Mahogany Obsidian.  In rare cases, Black Obsidian may have a colorful sheen that appears when moved in the light.  In some cases, this effect is created by small inclusions of water vapor bubbles trapped inside the glass.  These bubbles have been stretched nearly flat in a series of layers which reflect back the light as metallic gold or silver.  In the case of Red Sheen Obsidian, both trace particles of Iron and water vapor bubbles, combine to create the unique effect of a red sheen.

Red Sheen Obsidian’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Blue Chalcedony

Obsidian was not included in most early lapidaries, texts which describe gemstones and their powers. However archaeological evidence reveals that Obsidian was used to create some of the very oldest cultural artifacts in human history. In fact, Obsidian was also used by our evolutionary ancestors and cousins!

The very earliest Obsidian tools date to the Oldowan, at the very dawn of the Paleolithic/Stone Age (2.6 million -10,000 BCE). Archaeologists believe that the very earliest hominid to use stone tools was Australopithecus garhi (2.5 million BCE) who lived in Ethiopia and is believed to be one of our direct ancestors. Among the fossil remains for this early hominid are obsidian tools used for chopping, scraping, and piercing. Sometime later two other early hominids began making stone tools; Homo habilis(2.4-1.4 million BCE), whose name means “Handy Man” precisely because he used stone tools, and Homo erectus (1.89 million – 143,000 BCE), the first hominid to stand upright like a modern human. Whether each species discovered stone tools independently, or were taught to use them, is a matter of speculation. Equally so, it is impossible to know whether these tools were purely practical or if they had any spiritual purpose.

Obsidian Arrowhead

At the dawn of human civilization and writing, we know that Obsidian was definitely being used for ritual purposes. In Egypt, Obsidian knives were used for ceremonial circumcisions, as well as to make mirrors and various decorative objects found in tombs. The actual name “Obsidian” was first used by Pliny the Elder (CE23-79) who named it after a Roman citizen/explorer, Obsius, who “discovered” it in Ethiopia. During the ancient and medieval period, Obsidian was thought to drive out demons, and was used as an aid in rituals. It was also used to heal wounds and alleviate pain. Obsidian was also widely used in the Americas. In Central and North America, Obsidian was a symbol of Tezcatlipoca, the chief god of the Aztec religion.

Red Sheen is one of the rarest varieties of Obsidian.  It is found in locations that are also have deposits of Mahogany Obsidian, which is opaque red-brown, and Gold Sheen Obsidian, which is black with a metallic iridescence.  Red Sheen combines the color of the former, with the glitter of the latter.  It is rarely available but worth seeking out.