Reviews
Bargain, 4.7" Carved Green Prase Zuni Bear - Australia
This is a 4.7" long hand-carved Zuni bear fashioned from green prase mined in Australia. It displays nicely sitting on a hard surface.
Note: There are a few small scratches on the top of the sculpture, hence the bargain price.
Note: There are a few small scratches on the top of the sculpture, hence the bargain price.
What Is A Zuni Bear?
A Zuni Bear is a small, traditional Zuni Pueblo carving that represents strength, healing, and protection, typically shaped in a compact, stylized form with a broad, arched back, sturdy legs, and a gently tapered snout that gives it a powerful, grounded profile. These carvings are often made from stones like turquoise, jet, serpentine, or alabaster, and may feature inlaid eyes, a symbolic heartline, or a small offering bundle tied across the back. The bear is regarded as a guardian of the West in Zuni tradition, valued not only as a spiritual totem associated with courage and inner wisdom but also as a collectible work of Native American artistry.
A Zuni Bear is a small, traditional Zuni Pueblo carving that represents strength, healing, and protection, typically shaped in a compact, stylized form with a broad, arched back, sturdy legs, and a gently tapered snout that gives it a powerful, grounded profile. These carvings are often made from stones like turquoise, jet, serpentine, or alabaster, and may feature inlaid eyes, a symbolic heartline, or a small offering bundle tied across the back. The bear is regarded as a guardian of the West in Zuni tradition, valued not only as a spiritual totem associated with courage and inner wisdom but also as a collectible work of Native American artistry.
About Green Prase
Green prase (often just called prase) is a green variety of chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline form of quartz. Its distinctive green color is typically caused by the presence of amphibole fibers, most commonly actinolite, dispersed within the silica. These microscopic inclusions give prase its soft, mossy to deep green tones and its slightly fibrous, translucent appearance—traits that distinguish it from other green quartzes like chrysoprase (nickel-colored) or dyed materials.
Prase has been known since antiquity and was historically used as a decorative stone in the Mediterranean and Near East. It typically forms in silicified volcanic rocks or metamorphic environments where silica-rich fluids interact with actinolite-bearing host rock. Modern deposits are found in several regions worldwide, including Greece, Austria, and parts of Africa, and it is valued today for carvings, cabochons, beads, and ornamental objects. Its earthy, natural green color and smooth polish make it a favorite among lapidaries and collectors seeking an attractive but less commonly encountered type of chalcedony.
Green prase (often just called prase) is a green variety of chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline form of quartz. Its distinctive green color is typically caused by the presence of amphibole fibers, most commonly actinolite, dispersed within the silica. These microscopic inclusions give prase its soft, mossy to deep green tones and its slightly fibrous, translucent appearance—traits that distinguish it from other green quartzes like chrysoprase (nickel-colored) or dyed materials.
Prase has been known since antiquity and was historically used as a decorative stone in the Mediterranean and Near East. It typically forms in silicified volcanic rocks or metamorphic environments where silica-rich fluids interact with actinolite-bearing host rock. Modern deposits are found in several regions worldwide, including Greece, Austria, and parts of Africa, and it is valued today for carvings, cabochons, beads, and ornamental objects. Its earthy, natural green color and smooth polish make it a favorite among lapidaries and collectors seeking an attractive but less commonly encountered type of chalcedony.
$65
SPECIES
Quartz var. chalcedony With Actinolite
LOCATION
Australia
SIZE
4.7 x 3.6", 1.2" thick
CATEGORY
ITEM
#344925
