An Article In Meteorite-Times Magazine by Paul Harris

Moldavites

55.8 gram Moldavite teardrop from The Darryl Futrell Collection Of Tektites
Now owned by The Meteorite Exchange, Inc.

Moldavites are the most beautiful of the tektites with many used in jewelry as both carving and faceted gemstones.  They were originally found near a Bohemian glass making area causing many to believe they were man made glass.

The first scientific mention of Moldavites was in 1788.  Moldavite was derived from the German word Moldau after the Vltava river by Franz Xaver Maximilian Zippe in 1836. Zippe was the curator of mineralogical collection in the Vlastenecke Museum in Prague

Moldavites are found in an area called the Central European Strewn Field.  Moldavites are mostly found in Bohemia and Moravia in the Czech Republic although some have been found in Germany and Austria.  Moldavite types found include Muong Nong type, splash form, and irregular. No ablated specimens like the flanged Australites have been found.

Moldavites contain more silica than any other type of tektite producing their green color. Bohemian specimens have a greater SiO₂ content then the Moravian.  Bohemian tektites are mostly variations of green from pale to a rich bottle green color, Moravian Moldavites are mostly olive green and brown

The age of Moldavites is about 15 Ma making it the second oldest strewn field after the North American.  The age and composition correspond with the Nordlinger Ries crater data linking it as the source crater.

Recommended Tektite Books:

McCall, G.J.H., 2001, Tektites in the Geological Record, The Geological Society London

Heinen, Guy,  1998, Tektites – Witnesses Of Cosmic Catastrophes, Guy Heinen