Rare Rocks! - Opal, 'The Precious Stone'

Throughout history, the opal has been considered to be lucky (the Ancient Greeks and Romans) and unlucky (Medieval Europe). Some say it is only lucky for those born within the month of October (lucky me!). Descriptions of opal are never mundane. Words such as pure, evil, precious, love and hope are used to describe this incredible gem. 

My description of the opal - Mysteriously Beautiful!

Massive Blue Banded Opal from the Barco River, Queensland, Australia. Photograph taken at the National History Museum, London, England. 
Photo released to Public Domain by author (Wikimedia Commons)

I love rocks and am known to go out of my way to visit rock shops!  I can spend hours in the study of how rocks are formed and in particular colored stones. Everything from quartz to diamonds! I find semi precious to precious gems to be beautiful reminders of just how incredible this world can be. It's a fascinating study, searching the origins of colored stones and realizing how each one has its own particular makeup. One sparkler that really gets my attention is the opal. Seeing a raw Australian boulder veined with flashing color is something special indeed. Understanding that this was actually a process of rain seeping into crevices and then the silica bearing waters drying into beautiful bands of striking color always confirms the mystery of nature. How does play of color occur? Read on to find out.  

I grew up with thinking of the opal as special to Australia. A majority of precious opal does comes from Australia. Mining areas such as Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge used to conjure up images of mystery and adventure in my mind. 

Multi-colored rough opal specimen from Virgin Valley, Nevada, US
Photo released to Public Domain by author (Wikimedia Commons)

Opal appears in most parts of the world as common opal, with particular

countries producing precious opal. Ethiopia, now the hot spot for finding incredible finds, Mexico with their Fire Opals as well as the southwest USA are all big producers of precious opals as well as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Indonesia, Turkey and Brazil.

Beautiful play of color in this Ethiopian opal.

Common opal or what miners call 'potch' is opal that does not show any play of color. Common opal has a milky or pearly opalescence appearance. It comes in many different colors, such as black, white, colorless transparent, blue and purple.

Basic information to be considered when purchasing an opal:

• Color - Play of color and background color.  Play of color is microscopic spheres of silica which are arranged in an orderly manner. As light passes through the spheres it is diffracted, showing the colors of the spectrum. The colors are determined by the size of the spheres and the geometric makeup. 

'Spheres that are approximately 0.1 micron (one ten-millionth of a meter) in diameter produce violet. Spheres about 0.2 microns in size produce red.  Sizes in between produce the remaining rainbow colors.' (info provided by Gia.edu) 
When turned in the light, opals with play of color are incredibly beautiful.

• Pattern of play of color. There are many different patterns, such as pinfire, peacock's tail, palette, flagstone and exploding flash to name just a few. 

• Clarity - Transparency and whether there are inclusions or not. Inclusions in opals can be just as important to the functionality of the gem as well as the beauty of it, as opals with inclusions can fracture easily. 

Matrix is a term for where the opal is infused into the stone not just in the seams. Boulder opals are usually ironstone with opal forming in seams within the stone, showing as a vein.

Wood as well as shells can be opalized.

Petrified Wood with Common Opal -
Photo released to Public Domain by author (Pixabay)

There are several types of opal, such as black, white, jelly, boulder, crystal and fire. They all have different types of beauty and qualities. Black opal is usually considered the most valuable, depending on the quality of the stone. 

Opal is about 5.5 to 6.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. That means that while it is a beautiful stone for the use of jewelry, consideration needs to be made on what type of setting is used. Much to my personal dismay, opal cracks rather easily. I found out about that aspect of my favorite stone the hard way by having a beautiful ring crack. Best not to use a prong setting for a ring. There isn't enough protection. A bezel setting is much better. Opal is best used in earrings, brooches and necklaces where they have less of a chance to receive rough contact with other surfaces. Opals can also crack or splinter due to dryness. They need moisture and do not do well stored in sunlight or heat. Most opals are cut and polished in the form of a cabochon.

Mexican Fire Opal - Intense, brilliant colors!
Fire Opals may have some play of color, but the term refers more to the intense colors of the opal, usually reds, oranges and yellows.
Photo released to Public Domain by author (Wikimedia Commons)

Ancient Romans gave opal its name, 

'opalus' which means 'Precious Stone'. 

The opal symbolized 'love and hope' 

in the Roman society.
(info provided by Gia.edu)

Australian Precious Opals with Matrix
Photo by Laurie A

Opals will be revisited in this blog as there is still so much to tell about this incredible stone. As with most gemstones, there is a great deal of lore regarding opals and I can't wait to tell you more about them. 

Sources:

Opalsdownunder.com

Australian Precious Opal by Archie Kalokerinos

Gia.edu

Geology.com

Search4gems.com

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The Olive Tree, Part II

The Olive Branch

Since ancient times, the olive branch has been the symbol of peace and goodwill.  

Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful holiday season.

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The Olive Tree, Part I

Olive Grove, Island of Capri, Italy, Oil on Canvas, 1890 (Public Domain - Wikimedia Commons)

Theodore Robinson (July 3, 1852 – April 2, 1896), 
Original painting currently exhibited at Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME

The word Geography immediately conjures up images of mountains, valleys, glaciers, deserts, rivers, oceans and plains. But an all-encompassing definition of the word includes so much more. There is the study of physical geography, which includes the already mentioned awe-inspiring aspects of this planet. I will definitely be contributing my totally amateur understanding of these subjects in future posts, as I never cease to be amazed by the beauty and complexity of this wonderful planet and how it works. But in this particular post I will be concentrating on a topic more in tune with cultural geography.  

In researching my posts on Mount Vesuvius, I happened upon the beautiful oil on canvas landscape by Theodore Robinson shown above, of an olive grove on the Island of Capri, Italy. I found the painting to be intriguing, and as is often the case, I suddenly was extremely aware of everything regarding that particular topic. I happen to like olives, so I decided that it was time to know more about them. The history of how humans originally discovered the usefulness of this amazing fruit, how they're grown and the process that goes into creating such a tasty and healthy food source became my next project.

So let's start with the tree itself. Incredible as it sounds, there are olive trees that are thousands of years old and still bearing fruit.

Have you ever come upon a tree that you just know has witnessed a whole lot of history? An old, majestic tree makes you know, just by looking at it, that if it could tell you what it has seen, it would be an amazing story indeed.  

Granted, other types of trees obtain equally monumental ages. There are quite a few ancient trees within the United States, Methuselah being one of them.  Methuselah is a great basin bristlecone pine and is located somewhere in the White Mountains of California. Imagine being older than the Pyramids of Giza. Methuselah is! 

General Sherman, a sequoia, located in Sequoia National Park in California is believed to be approximately 2,500 years of age, while The President, another sequoia at Sequoia National Park checks in at 3,200 years.

Unfortunately, some of our country's ancient trees have met their demise through irresponsible behavior. The Senator, a pond cypress of over 2,000 years and a national treasure was destroyed by fire in 2012 by a woman on meth. Prometheus, another great basin bristlecone pine, in Wheeler Park, Nevada, was even older than Methuselah, when cut down in 1964 by a dendrochronologist (a scientist of the study of climate change and past events through tree rings) who was studying the effects of the little ice age. These senseless actions are why Methuselah's actual location is kept a secret. 

The olive was first domesticated in the eastern mediterranean between 6,000 to 8,000 years ago from wild olive trees in the frontier land of Turkey and Syria. The olive tree is an evergreen tree. Its botanical name of Olea Europaea. Although short in height, usually measuring around 20 feet, the girth of the tree continues to grow as it matures, giving it a quirky, almost mystical look. The leaves are shaped like a lance and are pale green on the top and light silver beneath. The blossoms produced by an olive tree are small in size, numerous  and white in color.

The trunk of the olive tree is a mystery in itself. The gnarly, twisted image of a mature olive tree is unique to say the least. Knots, twists and awkward re-directions of branches makes a definite statement of approval of its own identity. If a trunk is cut down, the shoots from its roots continue to grow, thus insuring its existence. As the tree matures, the trunk becomes hollow. Yet, after thousands of years the ancient trees still bear fruit and are highly prized for their crop.

An olive tree is extremely hardy. It can easily live in rocky soil and does well in neutral soil but not acidic soil. It likes a climate that is hot and dry during the summer and cool during the winter. A winter is required in order to produce the proper cycle for growing shoots, flowers and ultimately the fruit that is the olive. It needs a sunny climate, but not tropical. It likes coastal areas and is most definitely not a desert tree. It needs water but does not like standing water. It requires a well drained soil. The mediterranean climate is perfect for its needs, although olive trees are now very successfully grown in such climates as California, Texas, Florida, Australia, Peru, Chile and also Japan. The Spanish brought olive trees to California and Mexico.                                               

Several centuries old olive tree at the Esporão estate in Reguengos de Monsaraz - Alentejo - Portugal

Check out my next post which will continue the story of the Olive Tree!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Great Smoky Mountains, TN, some truly awesome rocks!

Thanksgiving Day is here and I've finally given myself permission to do some reminiscing about what I am truly thankful for. With the subject of this blog in mind, I think a story from my childhood is a good start to explaining why I feel that I am a blessed person.

As a child, I loved to collect rocks. It wasn't unusual for me to grab a grocery bag and con my mother into accompanying me for a children's version of a rock hound expedition. The couple blocks that would take us to an area that had a sloped hill filled with the objects of my quest were a chance for my mom and I to have some quality time together. We would diligently search through piles of stones, looking for the 'pretty' ones. My concentration was truly dedicated to the subject at hand and the walk home would be filled with questions about the incredible finds that I had collected. My mom, who probably wasn't nearly as interested in rocks as I was, did her best to field the questions and always encouraged my youthful enthusiasm in regards to my hobby.

My dad was also very much a part of my geological education. Boxes of 'pretty' stones soon appeared after he realized my interest in them. He took the time to study with me and I began to learn about my hobby. Soon I knew that amethyst and citrine were both quartz. I learned that moonstone wasn't really from the moon (although ancient Romans and Hindus both believed it was formed from moonlight), but is actually a feldspar, which shows aspects of adularescence, having a milky or bluish iridescence. When cut in a cabochon, the moonstone sometimes displays chatoyancy, a changeable luster, such as a cats-eye.

That the beautiful opal, my birthstone, shows play-of-color and is formed when

Opal vein. What a beautiful gift from nature!

rainwater soaks down into the earth, along with dissolved silica. When the rain evaporates, the silica is deposited between layers of sedimentary rock. The dissolved silica then forms the opal. Opals always conjured up visions of Australia, so very far away from home. Mines with names like Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge, revved up my imagination of adventure and intrigue. I'm astounded by the beauty of the opal. This photograph of a true opal vein shows the results of this incredible process. You wouldn't think it could actually be real, but I saw it for myself when my parents visited Australia and brought a natural rock with an opal vein running through it back home with them.

My parents gave me the awesome opportunity to attend the University of Wisconsin, another reason to consider myself to be truly blessed. One of my favorite college classes was geology, where I learned about the layers of earth. About fossils and minerals and rocks. About eras and eons. I soaked the knowledge in and have never seemed to want to forget it. In later years I took my first class in gemology. I learned about colored gemstones and again, the information has stuck with me forever. 

Being able to grow in knowledge is such a blessing in itself. The advantages I had of learning about this incredible planet was just one of hundreds of blessings that my parents bestowed upon me. They were always interested in me and what I was interested in.   

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks that I had the best parents that a person could possibly ever have. That I have a fantastic family and great friends and that I live in a country that still holds tremendous opportunities for learning, success and happiness.

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Mount Vesuvius, A Look at a Sleeping Giant, Present Day Views on the Future!

Although the last eruption was in 1944 during World War II, there is no doubt that another eruption will take place in the future, a fear that Naples and the surrounding area has to permanently live with. Yet although the government has offered local inhabitants living on the mountainside a monetary compensation for moving, the majority of residents continue to choose to live with the danger.

So, why do the inhabitants of Naples and the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius stay while knowing that at any time their life could be in extreme danger due to an awakening giant? Many good reasons. Volcanic soil is extremely fertile, which is an allure for farming, vineyards and olive groves. Vesuvius is stunningly beautiful in a rather terrifying way. It provides lucrative earnings for the local inhabitants through tourism. The time between eruptions can be hundreds of years which allows people to forget what eruptions are all about. Perhaps to those who call the region home, the danger and intrigue of the unknown holds a certain mystique. Whatever the reason, over three million people live and work within the reach of Vesuvius's influence. Thus, Mount Vesuvius is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

The word volcano comes from the ancients belief in Vulcan, the mythical god of fire. Anyone taking the trek to the edge of the summit of Mount Vesuvius today can readily experience the same respectful attention to nature.

We still have little control over the havoc that volcanoes can create. The good news is that through years of monitoring and studying volcanic activity throughout the world, there is now the promise of earlier prediction of an eruption. It is certainly not a perfect science and those communities within the danger zones must make that ultimate decision on whether to evacuate or not according to today's information. The Istituto Nazionali di Geofisica e Volconologia in Italy, along with the United States Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Japan are front runners in prediction study. The World Organization of Volcanic Observatories is the largest community of member nations that are funded to observe volcanic activity in order to help humanity deal with the reality of nature. 

The Emergency Plan, which is updated on a regular basis, includes the 'Red Zone' an area directly in danger from a Mount Vesuvius eruption. The 'Red Zone' was updated in 2007 to include 800,000 inhabitants, but many volcanologists feel that the entire city of Naples should be included. 

Which brings me to Naples, the third largest municipality in Italy, behind Rome and Milan. My experience with this ancient city was brief. It was merely the port where we embarked on a ferry for our Capri adventure. Since our day was full and we had to return to Rome that evening there was no time to explore. 

Naples hasn't always had the best of reputations. Crime, corruption and sanitation problems are words used regularly in regards to the city. I'm pretty certain that Naples hasn't totally lost this reputation, but there seems to be a great deal of positives about visiting the city too.

Notes on Naples:

• Naples is one of the oldest cities in the world.The list is long of those who have had control over Naples throughout the centuries.  
• Art and Architecture: Ancient to Renaissance, Baroque to Modern and everything in between. There are castles and cathedrals and underground cities which all speak of layers of history.
• Pizza - The famous Margherita! Naples is where it supposedly all began.
• Pasta - Classic Neopolitan recipes usually include seafood. Pasta Fazool, (Naples version of Pasta Fagioli). Spaghetti ala Puttanesca.   
• Gelato - This I did have the opportunity to try, as it was part of the tour. I remember distinctly that the citrus type of sorbet or granita was very tasty.
• Pastries - Sfogliatelle, a layering of thin pastry filled with ricotta cream, candied citrus and cinnamon.
• Opera - One of the oldest, working theaters in Europe!

Opera House, Naples, Italy

• Naples underground city: Being built on layer upon layer of volcanic tephra, Naples has another surprise for visitors in the form of an incredible underground.  Everything from ancient Roman ruins to World War II bomb shelters can be seen on tours of underground Naples.

Recent Events:

• Naples hosts NATO's Allied Joint Force Command.
• The Port of Naples is one of the most important ports in Europe.
• Naples historic city center is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The people of Naples refer to themselves as Neopolitans. The city is vital, chaotic and interesting. The history is rich and the residents of Naples are known for living life to the fullest. So, although Naples lives next door to a sleeping giant, there's no doubt in my mind it will always continue to defy the odds.

Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius (photo is Public Domain)

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Mount Vesuvius, A Look at a Sleeping Giant, World War II

Vesuvius and World War II

Damaged B25C Mitchell of the US 340th Bombardment Group -
Pompeii Airfield (Terzigno, Italy)1944

What happens when nature decides to interfere 

with monumental human events? 

Naples was bombed repeatedly during World War II by Allied forces. Casualties were high and the city was in shambles.  Just prior to the Allied invasion of Naples, the Germans temporarily took control of the city. Atrocities became rampant and in September of 1943 the citizens of Naples decided to take hold of their own destiny and forced the Germans out of the city. Known as the Four Days of Naples, September 26 - 30, 1943 the uprisings were inspired by local citizens and lead by ex-Italian soldiers and street youth. Allied troops entered Naples on October 1, 1943.

By March of 1944, Allied troops had control of Naples but authorities were just starting to deal with the problems that existed in the area. Lack of food, disease, organized crime and extreme destruction due to war-time conditions had taken a big toll on the local population. And then came the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pompeii Airfield was constructed in Terzigno by the U.S. Army Air Corp, and was the base for the U.S. 340th Bombardment Group. Within months of the airfield being completed some 80 aircraft were destroyed by hot ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted on March 18, 1944. There were no military casualties but the airfield was destroyed and had to be dismantled and transferred to Paestum.

The eruption was Strombolian-Vulcanian in nature. It was the lava flow produced in this type of eruption which destroyed San Sebastiano, Massa di Somma and Cercola. This first phase lasted from March 18th to the 21st. Starting on the 21st the second phase of the eruption began with fire fountains erupting from the main crater. These fountains produced tephra which fell upon the area surrounding the mountain. The third phase featured more explosive activity, electrical storms and seismic activity.This took place on March 22 - 23rd. From the 23rd to the 30th the fourth and final phase of the eruption was primarily Vulcanian explosions. The eruption ended on March 30th.  Responses of the Anglo-American military authorities to the eruption of Vesuvius, March 1944 David K. Chester a,*, Angus M. Duncan b, Philip Wetton c and Roswitha Wetton c

Besides destroying several cities and causing numerous deaths, the eruption caused major problems for the allied command. Ash clogged machinery, troops had to be evacuated out of the danger areas and were assigned to helping the local civilians. The progression of the Allied invasion was delayed.

Mt Vesuvius Erupting in March 1944. Shot by John Reinhardt, B24 tailgunner is the USAAF in WWII

So how did the locals react to the eruption? As always, during times of troubles, religion became important. St. Januarius is the patron saint of Naples and also protects from volcanic eruptions. Three times a year, a vial of congealed blood from the Saint liquifies and bubbles up, denoting a year safe from disasters. In 1939, the blood did not bubble up. Old superstitions were renewed. Rumors abounded about why they were so cursed by such tragic events. But even as the last ounce of angry energy was being wrung from Vesuvius, the local population was beginning the process of rebuilding on the very same slope. 

One interesting character of the 1944 eruption was Professor Guiseppi Imbo, the director of the Osservatorio Vesuviano. Months prior to the eruption, Professor Imbo was seeing potential signs of Vesuvius volcanic activity. Although removed from the observatory by Allied forces, he managed to get permission to monitor the  eruption.     

Professor Imbo and his wife moved into the Observatory during the eruption and was able to obtain a great deal of data regarding the volcano's actions during the eruption. The Osservatorio Vesuviano (founded 1841) in Naples, now a member of the Italian government agency INGV is the oldest volcano observatory in the world. 

A quote taken from the April 17, 1944 LIFE magazine, from the director of the Mount Vesuvius Observatory at the time of the 1944 eruption, in which Professor Imbo gave a more positive Italian viewpoint of Vesuvius:

“A marvelous thing, my Vesuvius. It covers land with precious ash that makes the earth fertile and grapes grow, and wine. That’s why, after every eruption, people rebuild their homes on the slopes of the volcano. That is why they call the slopes of Vesuvius the compania felix — the happy land.”

Watch for next week's post which will continue the story of Mount Vesuvius. 

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Mount Vesuvius, A Look at a Sleeping Giant, The Eruption of 79 AD

It has been my privilege to travel to many interesting places in this world.  My first trip abroad was to Italy and it included a fleeting glimpse of the culprit of one of the most flagrant geological events in history, Mount Vesuvius and the eruption of 79 AD. Even today, I remember the respect for nature that enveloped me as I gazed upon this beautiful, powerful and incredibly dangerous volcano.

That day, I was scheduled to visit Capri, yet another awe-inspiring destination. The trip was filled with wonders the likes of the Blue Grotto and the ruins of the Villas of Tiberius. The sites of interest on this island cannot be properly described and we didn’t have anywhere near the time to discover all that Capri had to offer. We were on a day trip from Rome and scheduled for the tourist highlights. To say the highlights were spectacular would be an understatement.  I would love to go back and experience Capri in total. It was beyond belief beautiful!

I must admit that even though I visited a paradise that day, I had a bit of frustration at not being able to take in the archeological digs at Pompeii and Herculaneum. Not to mention the Phlegraean Fields with its geological and archeological wonders. One visit to Campania will never be able to cover all it has to offer, unless of course the visit is close to a lifetime.

Temple of Serapis, part of an ancient Roman marketplace located near Pozzuoli, Italy. This temple, in an area known as Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) shows aspects of Bradyseism, a gradual uplift or descent of the earth surface. 

Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano also known as a composite volcano, which means it has a large and steep cone and is built up of alternating layers of lava, tephra, pumice and volcanic ash.  It is capable of both lava and pyroclastic flows and can produce Plinian eruptions. It is located at the convergent boundary where the African tectonic plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian tectonic plate. It is the only active volcano on the European mainland. 

Formed within a much larger ancient and extinct volcano known as Mount Somma which collapsed approximately seventeen thousand years ago, Mount Vesuvius is considered to be very much active. Known as Somma-Vesuvius, this geological wonder became part of Italy's national park system in 1995.

Painting of Mount Vesuvius from 1858

The 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius was Plinian in nature, named after Pliny the Younger, an author and magistrate. His uncle, Pliny the Elder perished in the eruption while attempting a rescue mission to Stabiae. Pliny the Younger viewed the entire destruction from Misenum.  His writings on the events that took place during the eruption and the accurate description he supplied of the actual volcanic blast earned him the distinction of having the explosive type of volcanic activity named after him. Plinian eruptions, like Mount St. Helens in 1980, produce a huge explosion of gas and pumice that rises high into the stratosphere. As Pliny described in his letter to Cornelius Tacitus:

'Its general appearance can best be expressed as being like an umbrella pine, for it rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split off into branches.' 

This type of volcanic activity often produces pyroclastic flows and surges, which allows gas and rock to flow at extreme speeds. The effects are fast and disastrous. The people of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae had practically no chance to run from its wrath.   

View of Vesuvius from the ruins of ancient Pompeii

Next week's post will continue the story of Mount Vesuvius!

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