Material reference

Clear Quartz · Liwanag na Dala

Scientific identity, documented history, and community contexts are presented with sources. TÁWID’s contemporary design interpretation is identified separately.

Material identity

Clear quartz, or rock crystal, is crystalline silicon dioxide, SiO₂, with a Mohs hardness near 7. Transparency and a glass-like lustre make it useful for objects in which light passing through the material is part of the design. “Crystal” in this name refers to mineral structure; it should not be confused with decorative lead glass also marketed as crystal. [1]

Documented historical context

The Aga Khan Museum holds a carved rock-crystal palette from tenth-century Iraq. Two circular hollows suggest a palette or inkwell, although its exact function remains uncertain. Floral ornament and a transparent body preserve evidence of skilled quartz carving.

The museum connects rock-crystal production with Abbasid centres such as Samarra and Baghdad and later Fatimid workshops in Cairo. Its discussion of supply through Basra draws on historical testimony. The material’s history includes workshop skill, trade, and elite collecting.

Quartz has also entered industrial timekeeping. USGS describes cultured quartz selected for optical and piezoelectric properties, and the Smithsonian discusses quartz oscillators in clocks and electronics. Those applications depend on engineered systems, rather than the mere presence of quartz in a bracelet. [2] [3] [4]

TÁWID’s contemporary interpretation

Liwanag na Dala is TÁWID’s contemporary title for honest communication and care in passing on stories.

References

1. Handbook of Mineralogy, “Quartz” (2001)
2. Aga Khan Museum, “Palette,” Iraq, tenth century, AKM653
3. Smithsonian NMNH, “All Sorts of Quartz”
4. US Geological Survey, “Silica Statistics and Information”

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