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Sale 79
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Lot 808
Set Of Four Major Shapes Of Indochinite Tektites. Tektites are glass-like objects that formed when a very large meteorite impacted the earth vaporizing itself and melting earth rocks to over 2000 degrees F. The meteorite was most likely a part of a stony asteroid or part of a comet as it was completely vaporized in an enormous explosion high in earth's atmosphere. Unlike meteorites, Tektites are only found in certain parts of the world sometimes near a meteorite crater and sometimes not. The black Indochinites are found mostly in and around Thailand and are a glossy black color made up of mostly amorphous silica somewhat resembling obsidian. They have been dated to be about 800,000 years old which would be the date of the impact when they formed out of the molten earth and meteorite. The impact crater has not been located but might possibly be somewhere in the Gulf of Tonkin. The tektites get their shape depending on the speed of rotation of the molten rock as it quickly cools after being ejected high into the earth's atmosphere. As the molten rock solidifies into small objects, if there is no rotation it will form a sphere, a slow rotation will form a flattened disc, fast rotation will form a rod or dumbell shape and a very fast rotation will form a teardrop shape.
This lot contains four sizeable specimens of each of the four shapes. 1. a 2 x 2 inch sphere weighing 109grams. 2. a 3 x 2.5 inch flattened disc weighing 138 grams. 3. a 4 x 1.25 inch dumbbell weighing 121 grams and 4. a 3 x 1 inch teardrop weighing 52 grams. These specimens are larger than most found tektites and all have excellent character with craters and pits that occurred when air escaped as they quickly cooled in the atmosphere. Contained in a 8 x 6 inch Riker mount.
Add $15 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $250 - 350.
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