Reviews
4.7" Polished "Packsaddle" Tiger's Eye Zuni Bear - Australia
This is a 4.7" long hand-carved zuni bear sculpted from Packsaddle Tiger’s Eye, a striking Australian stone known for its golden chatoyance and bold, shimmering banding. The carving stands upright on a hard surface and makes an eye-catching display piece, showcasing both skilled craftsmanship and the dynamic, reflective beauty of this classic gemstone material.
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 Packsaddle Tiger's Eye
Packsaddle Tiger’s Eye is a distinctive and highly regarded variety of tiger’s eye sourced from the Packsaddle Range in Western Australia, one of the world’s most iconic localities for this shimmering quartz gemstone. This region produces material with exceptionally rich, chatoyant bands—usually in warm golden, copper, and bronze tones—created by the pseudomorphic replacement of fibrous crocidolite (blue asbestos) by silica. As quartz gradually replaces the original amphibole fibers, their parallel structure is preserved, giving Packsaddle Tiger’s Eye its signature silky sheen and dramatic light-play.
The Packsaddle deposits are known for yielding tiger’s eye with remarkable depth, tight banding, and vivid color saturation, qualities that have made the area synonymous with premium lapidary-grade material. The stone is commonly cut into cabochons, carvings, spheres, and decorative objects, where its pronounced chatoyancy and striking color contrast are especially eye-catching.
Packsaddle Tiger’s Eye is a distinctive and highly regarded variety of tiger’s eye sourced from the Packsaddle Range in Western Australia, one of the world’s most iconic localities for this shimmering quartz gemstone. This region produces material with exceptionally rich, chatoyant bands—usually in warm golden, copper, and bronze tones—created by the pseudomorphic replacement of fibrous crocidolite (blue asbestos) by silica. As quartz gradually replaces the original amphibole fibers, their parallel structure is preserved, giving Packsaddle Tiger’s Eye its signature silky sheen and dramatic light-play.
The Packsaddle deposits are known for yielding tiger’s eye with remarkable depth, tight banding, and vivid color saturation, qualities that have made the area synonymous with premium lapidary-grade material. The stone is commonly cut into cabochons, carvings, spheres, and decorative objects, where its pronounced chatoyancy and striking color contrast are especially eye-catching.
$125
SPECIES
Tiger's Eye
LOCATION
Hamersley Ranges, Pilbara Region, Western Australia
SIZE
4.7 x 3.6 x 1.25"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#344894
