Staurolite
Rendering
Staurolite was designed for Western Carolina University’s New Apodaca Science Center. The site constitutes a convergence of cultures, with its concentric rings of pavers radiating from the nearby Cherokee mound to the state of the art science facility that rises above it.
My perspective is that of an artist. I am not equipped to speak for the Cherokee, nor for the scientific community. I can only speak as an observer. In my research for this project I sought to find a common ground, a universal statement that spoke to the idea that all cultures seek meaning and understanding of humans’ role on Earth. It was through this research that I was introduced to the Fairy Cross or Staurolite. The name derives from the Greek words stauros for cross and lithos for stone, giving it a literal translation of "cross-stone."
The naturally formed crystalline structures can be found along the Appalachian Mountains as well as in parts of Europe. For many years, people have used fairy stones as good luck charms, believing that they protect the wearer against witchcraft, sickness, accidents, and disaster. The Cherokee cherished these stones which represented the cardinal points or the four directions until around 2000 years ago when, according to Cherokee legend, the fairy crosses resulted from the fallen tears of the Yunwi Tsunsdi, or Little People, after hearing the news of the crucifixion of Jesus.
The crosses consist of a pair of crystals opposed to each other at 90 or 60 degree angles. They can vary from perfectly symmetrical to quite abstract. They are composed primarily of Iron along with silica and aluminum. They typically are found to measure around 1 inch. Staurolite is a 12 foot version of the naturally occurring forms.
