In the third hall of the museum and partly in the precious stone grinding atelier you can see one of the largest in the country, many times awarded at home and abroad exhibitions striped flint, a regional jewelery with the world’s largest concretion (80 kg). Striped flint is unique, in elegant gray, at first glance seems a bit monotony, but after closer cognition surprises with a multitude of patterns and paintings in it enchanted. The collection is dominated by grinds directly from raw stone, i.e. the flint before machining is not cut, but cleaved. This refers to its original use, as a split stone, and coincides with a striped drawing, creating a three-dimensional effect. This method of sanding striped flint is very difficult and laborious. It was started in our studio by owner Dariusz Siemoński in 2005, and the grinding of such a number of exhibits was a great feat. The collection also includes cabochons, sculptures, trinkets and jewelry made in our studio. Exhibit space is decorated with pictures showing paintings on the flint.
Striped flint is a kind of sedimentary rock composed primarily of cryptocrystalline quartz (chalcedony) with a mixture of quartz grains, calcium carbonate and opal. It is found in limestone deposits in the form of benthic concretes with diameter up to several centimeters. One theory is that the quartz from which the flint is made is of organic origin. The sponges living in warm Jurassic seas built skeletons out of them, almost 150 million years ago. The quartz washed out of the dead sponge particles later crystallized around the crystallization nuclei concentrically creating alternating light and dark streaks.
Every piece of flint shows the extraordinary image and is almost a work of art. This can be seen not only in large specimens, but also in small hand-made cabochons, used late to produce unique jewelry.
The most beautiful striped flint occurs only in one place of the Earth – in the Upper Jurassic limestones in the north-eastern part of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, stretching from Ozarow through Krzemionki Opatowskie to Iłża. In Krzemionki, it was mined in the Neolithic Period and was used for the production of axes, primarily of cult and magical significance. Today in Krzemionki there is an archaeological reserve, and the flint is obtained by the extraction of limestone and used for the production of jewelry. A bit worse quality, but also very attractive is the flint from the vicinity of Małogoszcz.
For many years we have been surrounded by striped flint. We all make ornaments from this stone, which we also wear. We affectionately enthuse the people we care about the most. With all our responsibility we can claim that striped flint is a stone of optimism. Every day we experience its wonderful properties.
