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Snakeskin Agate
Snakeskin Agate is silicate (chalcedony), SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). In the hand, it rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and it runs cream and tan. Surface covered in a fine polygonal network of shrinkage cracks resembling shed snakeskin, usually on cream to flesh-toned chalcedony. Classic locality is Rome area, Oregon, USA; similar material from Mexico and Africa.
The geology.
Snakeskin Agate carries the formula SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). It belongs to the trigonal (cryptocrystalline) system. It is classified as silicate (chalcedony).
It sits at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads waxy, satiny on weathered surfaces. Light behaviour is translucent to opaque. Specific gravity runs 2.58 to 2.64. The streak is white. It breaks with conchoidal fracture.
Surface covered in a fine polygonal network of shrinkage cracks resembling shed snakeskin, usually on cream to flesh-toned chalcedony.
You will most often meet it as rough nodules, tumbled or occasional cabochons.
The origins.
Classic locality is Rome area, Oregon, USA; similar material from Mexico and Africa.
On value, the database notes: affordable; intact well-patterned Oregon pieces are minor collectibles.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, associated with shedding old layers and moving through change quietly.
People buy on this language, so it belongs on the page. It belongs under the facts, though, not over them.
Spotting the real thing.
Surface covered in a fine polygonal network of shrinkage cracks resembling shed snakeskin, usually on cream to flesh-toned chalcedony.
Rarely faked; some sellers tumble-polish away the diagnostic skin, ironically destroying the feature that names the stone.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Septarian fragment | Septarian cracks are filled with contrasting calcite and fizz in vinegar; snakeskin agate does not fizz |
| Crackle 'fire and ice' quartz | Crackle quartz is quench-fractured transparent quartz with internal cracks, not a surface net pattern |
| Dried mud-textured jasper | Jaspers are fully opaque; snakeskin agate glows translucent at thin edges |
At-home tests.
You can run every one of these at a kitchen table. Good light matters more than gear when you are looking at snakeskin agate.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Scratch check | Scratches glass (Mohs 6.5 to 7) |
| By eye | Net pattern is on the surface, interior is plain chalcedony |
| Acid check | No fizz with vinegar |
Destructive tests belong to a gemologist, not a kitchen table. If a piece matters to you, pay for an appraisal before you take a file to it.
Care & handling.
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with conchoidal fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Clean it by hand, dry it properly, and keep it away from ultrasonic cleaners and hot steam.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). Crystal system: Trigonal (cryptocrystalline). Specific gravity: 2.58 to 2.64. Streak: White. Cleavage and fracture: Conchoidal fracture.
How it reaches the market
Classic locality is Rome area, Oregon, USA; similar material from Mexico and Africa.
What it gets confused with
Septarian fragment: Septarian cracks are filled with contrasting calcite and fizz in vinegar; snakeskin agate does not fizz. Crackle 'fire and ice' quartz: Crackle quartz is quench-fractured transparent quartz with internal cracks, not a surface net pattern. Dried mud-textured jasper: Jaspers are fully opaque; snakeskin agate glows translucent at thin edges.
What it is worth
Affordable; intact well-patterned Oregon pieces are minor collectibles.
Where buyers get caught
Rarely faked; some sellers tumble-polish away the diagnostic skin, ironically destroying the feature that names the stone.
One more thing
The scaly net formed as the silica gel dehydrated and shrank, the same physics that cracks drying mud, just frozen in stone.
An education-first guide.
We do not stock snakeskin agate. Writing it up regardless is the point of a reference library.
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