ZIMBABWEAN STONE SCULPTURE

What are the sculptures made of?

The majority of stones used in Zimbabwean sculpture are locally sourced and belong to the geological family, Serpentine.

They are sedimentary and metamorphic having originally been laid down on a sandy sea floor since subsequent exposure to intense heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years has transformed them into hard stone. Serpentines are rich in iron, so when the stone weathers, it turns a rust colour.

In Zimbabwe, they occur as part of The Great Dyke. A horseshoe-shaped geological formation stretching through the north and east round to the centre of the country. The natural weathering processes are now exposing the rocks at the surface. Colours range from yellow and green, through to brown and black.

Serious sculptors prefer the hardest varieties such as Springstone (Black Serpentine), Fruit Serpentine and Leopard Rock. These dense stones have extremely fine grains and uniform structure, making them ideal raw materials for sculpting.

Mines tend to be small-scale, open cast operations. They are too small to cause any environmental damage and form a valuable alternative source of income to rural communities.

The best-known Springstone mines are in the Mvurwi area (northern Zimbabwe)

Brown Serpentine is mined at Tengenge (northern Zimbabwe)
Leopard Rock comes from a few small mines in Nyanga (eastern Zimbabwe)
The most prized opal stone (A vivid Green Serpentine) come from the kwekwe area, southwest of Harare.

Waxing seals the surface of the stone so rainwater cannot penetrate the sculpture, making them suitable for display outdoors. Given the hardness of the stone used, even unwaxed sculptures will be fine outside, as the rate of weathering is very slow. Frost can attack cracks in the stone, so if your sculpture has any flaws (very unlikely) keep it inside.

Serpentine Stone - More

Fossilised Sculptures