Obsidian COVID-19 protocols for hikes and bike rides have been updated to allow nonmembers on activities. If you plan to join Obsidian trips be prepared to abide by our protocols: COVID-19 Protocols V11 2021 Bus Trips, Summer Camp, Climb School and Lodge activities are still on hold or cancelled due to COVID. Obsidian.net is the home for Obsidian Entertainment, developer of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II, Neverwinter Nights 2, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, Dungeon Siege III, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Project Eternity. Obsidian is an item found in Valheim. It unlocks the Tool shelf upgrade for the workbench and different kinds of elemental arrows. Obsidian can be found in deposits on Mountains. They require an Iron pickaxe to mine. Crafting: Frost arrow Obsidian arrow Poison arrow Tool shelf. This style-forward lock is the future of door hardware. Named after the volcanic rock, Obsidian is a visually striking touchscreen that eliminates traditional keyways and opts for a low profile, contemporary design to deliver a stylish, modern smart lock that is secure, innovative and convenient.

• The Obsidian Mirror
• The Obsidian Collection

Avowed

Obsidian Entertainment's next epic first-person RPG

Grounded

The world is a vast, beautiful, and dangerous place, especially when you have been shrunken to the size of an ant. Explore, build, and survive together in this first person, multiplayer, survival-adventure. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to endure the hardships of the backyard?

The Outer Worlds

The Outer Worlds is a new single-player first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment and Private Division. Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the furthest edge of the galaxy, you awake decades later only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the Halcyon colony. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Obsidian Entertainment proudly presents the sequel to our crowdfunded and critically-acclaimed role-playing game, Pillars of Eternity. Welcome to Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. With Pillars II, we are revisiting the rich narrative, beautiful environments, and tactical combat that made Pillars of Eternity one of the highest-rated PC games of all time.

Tyranny

What if the battle for good and evil was already fought - and evil won? The armies of Kyros the Overlord have marched across the land and you marched with them as an officer in their ranks. Will you use your influence as a Fatebinder to bring justice to Kyros' new subjects, or will you trample them on your path to power?

Pathfinder Adventures

Translating the best-selling Pathfinder Adventure Card Game into a digital form, Pathfinder Adventures is an entirely new breed of a mobile game. Gather your party and adventure forth into Varisia where you'll battle monsters and villains, and acquire new feats, items, weapons, and allies in the first of an ongoing series of Adventure Paths, The Rise of the Runelords! Help the sleepy coastal town of Sandpoint fend off a goblin attack and continue on to take down serial killers, depraved ogres and even an army of stone giants.

NOW AVAILABLE for PC on Steam, as well as Android and iOS phones and tablets.

Armored Warfare

Armored Warfare is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online tactical military video game that puts you in control of modern tanks, armored vehicles and more! Armored Warfare features stunning next-gen visuals, dynamic destructible environments, customizable vehicles and intense team-based gameplay where players work to crush each other with the power of modern combat vehicles in a free-to-compete experience. Sign up to participate in the beta now at ArmoredWarfare.com!

Pillars of Eternity

Prepare to be enchanted by a world where the choices you make and the paths you choose shape your destiny. Recapture the thrill of exploration, the thrill of adventure, and the thrill of leading your own band of adventurers across a new fantasy realm and into the depths of monster-infested dungeons in search of lost treasures and ancient mysteries. So gather your party, venture forth, and embrace adventure as you recapture the wonder, the nostalgia, and the thrill of classic RPGs with Pillars of Eternity!

ESRB Rating: Mature

The Obsidian Mirror

NOW AVAILABLE for the PC Download - Hero Edition, PC Download - Champion Edition. Also Available: Prima Official Game Guide, and Dark Horse's Guidebook Volume One.

South Park: Stick of Truth

From the perilous battlefields of the fourth-grade playground, a young hero will rise, destined to be South Park's savior. From the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, comes an epic quest to become… cool. Introducing South Park: The Stick of Truth.

Arm yourself with weapons of legend to defeat crabpeople, underpants gnomes, hippies and other forces of evil. Discover the lost Stick of Truth and earn your place at the side of Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny as their new friend. Succeed, and you shall be South Park's savior, cementing your social status in South Park Elementary. Fail, and you will forever be known... as a loser.

ESRB Rating: Mature

NOW AVAILABLE for the PC (Download), PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Learn how to become cool with the Prima Official Game Guide!

Dungeon Siege III

Torn asunder, the delicate balance of power between the kingdom of Ehb's powerful factions has fallen apart. As one of the few remaining members of the disgraced protectors of the land, the 10th Legion, it is up to you to rebuild the once great Legion and stop Ehb from falling into darkness. Joined by a group of unique companions, you will travel through the striking land of Ehb defeating all manner of villains and beasts through a combination of heroic abilities, screen shaking magic and pure cunning.

ESRB Rating: Teen

NOW AVAILABLE for the PC (Download), PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360! Navigate Ehb with the Prima Official Game Guide!

Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition

Experience all the sights and sounds of fabulous New Vegas, brought to you by Vault-Tec, America's First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation. Explore the treacherous wastes of the Great Southwest from the safety and comfort of your very own vault: Meet new people, confront terrifying creatures, and arm yourself with the latest high-tech weaponry as you make a name for yourself on a thrilling new journey across the Mojave wasteland. A word of warning, however - while Vault-Tec engineers have prepared for every contingency, in Vegas, fortunes can change in an instant. Enjoy your stay.

ESRB Rating: Mature

NOW AVAILABLE for the PC (Download), PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360! Wasteland made safer with the Prima Official Game Guide!

Alpha Protocol

Loyalty carries a price and no one knows this more than agent Michael Thorton. A talented young agent cast out by his government, Thorton is the only one with the information needed to stop an impending international catastrophe. To do so means he must cut himself off from the very people he is sworn to protect.

ESRB Rating: Mature

NOW AVAILABLE for the PC (Download), PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360!

Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir

A new Overland Map mode brings classic world exploration and adventure to Neverwinter Nights 2. Traverse the southern jungles and the Sword Coast in search of glory, riches, and legend as your party of adventurers explores an all new storyline set after the defeat of the King of Shadows.

ESRB Rating: Teen

NOW AVAILABLE!
* Neverwinter Nights 2 product required - this is not a stand-alone game.

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer

Experience the distant realms of Rashemen and Thay in this dark, epic continuation of Neverwinter Nights 2's Knight-Captain. Advance to level 30, gaining godlike powers and unearthing artifacts of untold power.

ESRB Rating: Teen

NOW AVAILABLE!
* Neverwinter Nights 2 product required - this is not a stand-alone game.

Neverwinter Nights 2

Bards sing tales of heroes from ages past, but never have the Forgotten Realms so desperately needed a champion. A mysterious relic is borne to Neverwinter in the hands of a lone hero so that its secrets may be unlocked - secrets that carry the fate of all the North...

ESRB Rating: Teen

Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold is now available for the PC, featuring the main game and the critically acclaimed expansion pack, Mask of the Betrayer.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Obsidian's first title, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is the sequel to the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.

ESRB Rating: Teen

Available for the PC and Xbox now!

Home » Rocks » Igneous Rocks » Obsidian

Obsidian: The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across. The curved semi-concentric ridges are breakage marks associated with obsidian's conchoidal fracture. The rock has very sharp edges.

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian is an igneous rock that forms when molten rock material cools so rapidly that atoms are unable to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure. It is an amorphous material known as a 'mineraloid.' The result is a volcanic glass with a smooth uniform texture that breaks with a conchoidal fracture (see photo).

Where Does Obsidian Form?

Obsidian is usually an extrusive rock - one that solidifies above Earth's surface. However, it can form in a variety of cooling environments:

• along the edges of a lava flow (extrusive)
• along the edges of a volcanic dome (extrusive)
• around the edges of a sill or a dike (intrusive)
• where lava contacts water (extrusive)
• where lava cools while airborne (extrusive)

Types of Obsidian: The specimens shown above are from Glass Butte rockhounding site in central Oregon. It shows the diversity of obsidian types that can be found in a small geographic area. Clockwise from upper left are: double flow obsidian, rainbow obsidian, black obsidian, pumpkin obsidian, mahogany obsidian, gold sheen obsidian, and the piece in the center is gold sheen. The nice photo above is from the Glass Butte Rockhounding Site page on the Deschutes National Forest website.

Mahogany obsidian: A tumble-polished specimen of 'mahogany obsidian.' Image copyright iStockphoto / Arpad Benedek.

What Color is Obsidian?

Black is the most common color of obsidian. However, it can also be brown, tan, or green. Rarely, obsidian can be blue, red, orange, or yellow. The colors are thought to be caused mainly by trace elements or inclusions.

Occasionally two colors of obsidian will be swirled together in a single specimen. The most common color combination is black and brown obsidian swirled together - that's called 'mahogany obsidian' (see photo).

As a 'glass,' obsidian is chemically unstable. With the passage of time, some obsidian begins to crystallize. This process does not happen at a uniform rate throughout the rock. Instead it begins at various locations within the rock. At these locations, the crystallization process forms radial clusters of white or gray cristobalite crystals within the obsidian. When cut and polished, these specimens are referred to as 'snowflake obsidian' (see photos).

Rarely, obsidian has an iridescent or metallic 'sheen' caused by light reflecting from minute inclusions of mineral crystals, rock debris, or gas. These colored specimens are known as 'rainbow obsidian,' 'golden obsidian,' or 'silver obsidian,' depending upon the color of the sheen or iridescence. These specimens are very desirable for the manufacture of jewelry.

Snowflake obsidian: A tumble-polished specimen of 'snowflake obsidian.' Image copyright iStockphoto / Martin Novak.

What is the Composition of Obsidian?

The Obsidian Collection

Most obsidians have a composition similar to rhyolite and granite. Granites and rhyolites can form from the same magma as obsidian and are often geographically associated with the obsidian.

Rarely, volcanic glasses are found with a composition similar to basalt and gabbro. These glassy rocks are named 'tachylyte.'

Are There Other Glassy Igneous Rocks?

Pumice, scoria, and tachylyte are other volcanic glasses formed by rapid cooling. Pumice and scoria differ from obsidian by having abundant vesicles - cavities in the rock produced when gas bubbles were trapped in a solidifying melt. Tachylyte differs in composition - it has a composition similar to basalt and gabbro.

Obsidian outcrop: Obsidian along the edge of a lava flow in central Oregon. Image copyright iStockphoto / Phil Augustavo.

Obsidian knife blade: A knife blade manufactured from mahogany obsidian. The craftsman who made this blade had a very high skill level and was able to produce a serrated edge. Image copyright iStockphoto / Al Braunworth.

Occurrence of Obsidian

Obsidian is found in many locations worldwide. It is confined to areas of geologically recent volcanic activity. Obsidian older than a few million years is rare because the glassy rock is rapidly destroyed or altered by weathering, heat, or other processes.

Significant deposits of obsidian are found in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, United States, and many other locations.

In the United States it is not found east of the Mississippi River, as there is no geologically recent volcanic activity there. In the western US it is found at many locations in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Most obsidian used in the jewelry trade is produced in the United States.

Obsidian spear point: A spear point fashioned from opaque black obsidian. Image copyright iStockphoto / Charles Butzin.

Rock & Mineral Kits: Get a rock, mineral, or fossil kit to learn more about Earth materials. The best way to learn about rocks is to have specimens available for testing and examination.

Uses of Obsidian as a Cutting Tool

The conchoidal fracture of obsidian causes it to break into pieces with curved surfaces. This type of fracturing can produce rock fragments with very sharp edges. These sharp fragments may have prompted the first use of obsidian by people.

The first use of obsidian by people probably occurred when a sharp piece of obsidian was used as a cutting tool. People then discovered how to skillfully break the obsidian to produce cutting tools in a variety of shapes. Obsidian was used to make knives, arrowheads, spear points, scrapers, and many other weapons and tools.

Once these discoveries were made, obsidian quickly became the raw material of preference for producing almost any sharp object. The easy-to-recognize rock became one of the first targets of organized 'mining.' It is probably a safe bet that all natural obsidian outcrops that are known today were discovered and utilized by ancient people.

Apache tears: 'Apache Tears' is a name used for small obsidian nodules of about one inch or less that can be found in volcanic areas of the southwestern United States. Their name comes from a Native American legend. During a battle between Apaches and the U.S. Cavalry in 1870, the outnumbered Apaches, facing defeat, rode their horses over a cliff rather than allow themselves to be killed by their enemy. Upon hearing the story of the battle, the tears of their family members turned to stone when they hit the ground. Those stones are now found as the black obsidian nodules. People who do rock tumbling often polish Apache Tears. They are difficult to polish because the obsidian chips and bruises easily. Success occurs when they are cushioned during the tumbling with smaller pieces of rough or small ceramic media.

Stone Age Manufacturing and Trade

The manufacture of obsidian tools by humans dates back to the Stone Age. At some locations, tons of obsidian flakes reveal the presence of ancient 'factories.' Some of these sites have enough waste debris to suggest that many people labored there for decades producing a variety of obsidian objects. Making arrowheads, spear points, knife blades, and scrapers from obsidian, chert, or flint might have been the world's first 'manufacturing industry.'

Obsidian was so valued for these uses that ancient people mined, transported, and traded obsidian and obsidian objects over distances of up to a thousand miles. Archaeologists have been able to document the geography of this trade by matching the characteristics of obsidian in outcrops with the characteristics of obsidian in cutting tools. A study done by the Idaho National Laboratory used composition studies by X-ray fluorescence to identify the source outcrops of obsidian artifacts and map their use across the western United States.

Obsidian in Modern Surgery

Although using a rock as a cutting tool might sound like 'stone age equipment,' obsidian continues to play an important role in modern surgery. Obsidian can be used to produce a cutting edge that is thinner and sharper than the best surgical steel. Today, thin blades of obsidian are placed in surgical scalpels used for some of the most precise surgery. In controlled studies, the performance of obsidian blades was equal to or superior to the performance of surgical steel.

Obsidian jewelry: Mahogany obsidian and snowflake obsidian cabochons set in sterling silver pendants.

Obsidian for opal triplets: A thin piece of obsidian is often used as a 'backing' material for opal doublets and triplets. The black obsidian adds stability to the opal and provides a dark background color that contrasts with the opal's fire.

Uses of Obsidian in Jewelry

Obsidian is a popular gemstone. It is often cut into beads and cabochons or used to manufacture tumbled stones. Obsidian is sometimes faceted and polished into highly reflective beads. Some transparent specimens are faceted to produce interesting gems.

The use of obsidian in jewelry can be limited by its durability. It has a hardness of about 5.5 which makes it easy to scratch. It also lacks toughness and is easily broken or chipped upon impact. These durability concerns make obsidian an inappropriate stone for rings and bracelets. It is best suited for use in low-impact pieces such as earrings, brooches, and pendants.

Obsidian is also used in making opal doublets and opal triplets. Thin slices or chips of opal are glued to a thin slice of obsidian to make a composite stone. The black obsidian provides an inexpensive and color-contrasting background that makes opal's colorful fire much more obvious. It also adds mass and stability to the opal that facilitates cutting it into a gem.

Other Uses of Obsidian

Freshly broken pieces of obsidian have a very high luster. Ancient people noticed that they could see a reflection in obsidian and used it as a mirror. Later, pieces of obsidian were ground flat and highly polished to improve their reflective abilities.

Obsidian's hardness of 5.5 makes it relatively easy to carve. Artists have used obsidian to make masks, small sculptures, and figurines for thousands of years.