Description
The universe has 13.8 billion years of history. Some of it fits in your hand. Serpentinite is oceanic mantle rock that has reacted with seawater — the green color comes from serpentine group minerals replacing olivine and pyroxene. The Troodos ophiolite in Cyprus is a slice of ancient ocean floor uplifted by tectonic collision: these rocks formed at a spreading ridge, were hydrated on the seafloor, then thrust onto a continent. Cyprus means ‘copper island’ — the ancient mines worked the copper ore bodies in this very ophiolite.
This specimen originates from Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus, one of the world’s most significant localities for this type of material. Collectors and scientists have drawn from this region for generations, and for good reason: the combination of geological conditions here produces specimens of exceptional quality and clarity.
Every specimen is unique. Photographs approximate the visual experience, but the real thing — its weight, its luster under a raking light, the way it catches the corner of your eye — can only be experienced directly.
