Rock Crystal Quartz Skull
Recently, the Carlsbad laboratory received a remarkable sculpture for an identification report. The piece, named “Daath,” was composed of two separate carvings: a skull weighing 3898.6 g and measuring 18.90 × 13.77 × 12.81 cm and an interlocking lower jawbone weighing 213.7 g and measuring 11.46 × 8.35 × 7.35 cm (figure 1). Microscopic examination revealed that both the skull and jawbone were doubly refractive and displayed natural fingerprints and fluid inclusions. The inclusion suite, in tandem with Raman spectroscopy, confirmed that both were carved from rock crystal quartz. A highly polished surface added to the brilliance of the sculpture.
Carved by Jarex Schmidt, the sculpture was completed over the course of four years. The carvings began as two pristine quartz crystals that were mined in 2014 from the Zigras mine in Blue Springs, Arkansas (figure 2). Rock crystal quartz is actively mined in the eastern portion of Arkansas, which is globally recognized for producing large, high-quality specimens suitable for carvings (https://www.geology.arkansas.gov/minerals/industrial/Quartz-(Industrial).html).
After more than 1,400 hours of meticulous hand carving and polishing, the quartz pieces were transformed into an extraordinary replica of a human skull. Realistic detail was captured with stunning accuracy and craftsmanship to create this one-of-a-kind carving.
