The Elizabethan Era Death’s Head black obsidian crystal skull is similar to the symbol used by bawds, rakes, sexual adventurers, prostitutes, and men who “combined riotous living with intellectual pursuits and patronage of the arts” in Elizabethan England. Men and women of many classes, but usually the rich and of higher social standing, including royalty, indulged their tastes for immoral conduct and would often wear a Death’s Head ring, a wide band that could be turned inward to hide the skull with no lower jaw when necessary, or turned outward to advertise their taste for drinking, womanizing, and conversations not deemed appropriate by proper members of society. Gambling, brawling, and even dueling were also activities that were engaged in. The Death’s Head black obsidian crystal skull recognizes the basic humanity in human nature, and leaves the question of morals and right and wrong to be decided by each individual. Black obsidian has been used for scrying and facilitating intuition for thousands of years. It is an excellent stone to assist in seeing past illusion to discern truth, and to understand oneself and universal and spiritual laws. Obsidian is considered an extremely effective stone of protection, and a very powerful energy mover, as well as an excellent filter for absorbing negativity from its surroundings. Obsidian can be programmed to transmute this negativity to a different expression of energy, or can be cleansed regularly by smudging with smoke, washing with running water, associating it with other crystals, and more methods. Obsidian is effective for removal of blockages and bringing courage to face and overcome fears. Black obsidian is commonly considered to be quite powerful and caution is recommended when using it. It is wise to be prepared for the speed of the transfer of energy and information. Conscious programming prior to use is one way to address this quality of black obsidian. One explanation for the excessive power of obsidian could be the elemental forces at work during its formation. Volcanic lava, Earth and Fire, join with Water to cool the material so quickly there is no time for crystallization. Black obsidian possesses an excellent grounding ability, and assists one to find and maintain a clear and focused mental acuity. It can help to temper emotional reactions and bring balance and consideration to one’s life and mental processes. It protects against negativity and assists one to release disharmony, resentment of self and others, and anger and fear caused by one’s reactions to the situations and challenges they face as a part of life. Physically black obsidian is used for pain relief and detoxifying the body. It speeds healing of wounds, improves circulation and brings warmth to the extremities, assists in helping aid the digestion process, helps reduce cravings for foods, and can be helpful for reducing an enlarged prostate. NOTE: Skullis does not prescribe treatment for medical issues. Skullis offers information for reference to assist with the selection and understanding of crystal skulls, including this black obsidian crystal skull sculpture.