These example of Apache Tears were collected in Arizona. They were tumbled polished to obtain the very smooth and shinny finish. Because Apache Tears are composed entirely of glass, they are very fragile and subject to chipping and easy breakage. About 75 Apaches and the US Calvary squared off against each other in battle on a mountain overlooking what is now Superior, Arizona in the 1870's. Rather than face defeat, the outnumbered Apache warriors rode their horses off the mountain to their deaths. The families of the warriors cried when they learned of the tragedy. Their tears turned into stone upon hitting the ground.
