2025, Perfect Binding
144 pages
Dimensions: A4
ISBN: 978-1-7341310-6-2
$40.00
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| Agate — Quartz Phenomenon |
Mineral Monograph No. 21
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 Language: English
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Contributions by: Peter Heaney, SiAnn Frazier, George Rossman, John Koivula, Nathan Renfro, Gloria Staebler, Peter Megaw
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Edited by: Peter Heaney, Gloria Staebler
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Illustrations by: Robert Weldon, Jeff Scovil
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Gossamer ribbons swirling with color and light, agate has a universal appeal. Unconstrained by any internal architecture: agate is a freeform expression of its ancestral fluids, which organize into complex patterns that echo the voids it fills. The effect is natural, balanced asymmetry — a wabi sabi, Zen aesthetic — which is perhaps what compels us to hold it as a memento, metaphor, talisman, curiosity, microcosm, or charm.
Humans have interacted with agate since time immemorial; and although it minutely details the conditions under which it formed, agate has been the focus of relatively few studies — its code has yet to be cracked. Agate thus remains an enigmatic gemstone — a kaleidoscope of complex textures birthed of simple, common silica — that inspires a wide swath of people from to children to naturopaths to artists, scientists, and collectors.
With articles on the history, art, science, and vocabulary of agates, our expert team of authors explore the niche between science and art occupied by this fascinating gem. Extraordinary imagery illuminates the story, enticing readers to get to know the irresistible Quartz Phenomenon — Agate.
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