SESSION 8 - Gemology - obsidian and quartz as gemstones
Sorcery and ceremony associated with quarz

The association of quartz crystals with men of magic and power has been well documented in the Australian ethnographic literature. Quartz whether crystalline or milky is also documented ethnographically as being used for ceremonial purposes, specifically initiation. This paper describes the finding of a cache of smoky quartz crystals in granite outcrops at Wehla Hill in north central Victoria (AUS). The paper interprets this cache as representative of the ritual significance of the area which also provides evidence of other site types such as Aboriginal rockwells, culturally scarred trees and artefact scatters of crystalline quartz. The paper explores the relationship of the quartz crystal cache and these site types to present an argument for the ritual significance of Wehla Hill.