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• | Moqui Marbles - Description | |
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Moqui Marbles can be found in south-central and southeastern Utah, where they weathered out of Navajo Sandstone.
The name Moqui refers to the Hopi tribe of Native Americans that inhabited this region.
In Hopi tradition Moqui Marbles have different spiritual meanings. A talisman to protect against enemies, water, flash of lightning, a magic charm for luck, fertility, energy, a toy for ancestors, or secular a natural pigment in Indian color.
Moqui Marbles are iron concretions typically found in areas where the originally red Navajo Sandstone is white or lighter, bleached. The washed out red pigment hematite - Fe2O3 - builds a thick cement like shell surrounding, if they are not massive, some kind of bleached sand.
For more chemical details follow the links under 'Further Reading'.
The Navajo Sandstone deposit was created in the Jurassic-age approximately 180-190 million years ago. So, Moqui Marbles are old, very old.
One last: Moqui Marbles, heated in a camp fire, will explode after some time and sending up an impressive shower of sparks. Don't try this at home, kids, don't try this anywhere!
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Moqui Marbles conventions, countless.
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Pea-sized, soft- and/or thin-shelled Moqui Marbles.
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• | Further Reading: | |
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