Punk Skull is a very interesting sculpture demonstrating Steven Z.’s expertise at working with the natural features of materials. Steven Z. saw in this stone a rebellious and slightly self-mocking punker clenching a cigar in his teeth, or maybe, in true punk fashion, it looks like something else!

The punk rock movement set a stage of independence, flair, and self expression to please one’s self with no concern for the derogatory opinions of others who felt the need to impose their values on everyone else. Punk rock spat in the face of the authority and the status quo, and one didn’t need to be an expert musician to express the angst that came from too many years of oppression, sheep-like conformity, and allowing governments and general population to do one’s thinking for one. Punk is a revolution against the state of current existence. Though the oppressors seem powerful and untouchable, as long as injustice, darkness, and ugliness exist, punks will fight incessantly. Punk is angry and sober, and it is going to awaken the consciousness of the people, and bring their own sleeping thoughts out to be realized and examined. Punk will guide people to cast aside the vulgar commercial culture of today, to re-examine the principles of ethics, morality, and humanity, and to take action against those who have lost sight of what these fundamental ideas represent. Perhaps it is punk’s responsibility to do this, to set the example for those who are afraid to make the first move.

Punk Skull embodies the independence, the energy, and the raw life expression of Punk. And just as the punk rockers and the musicians evolved, and still continue to produce some of the most amazing music the world has never heard, so does the Punk Skull ensure that over time, all things may change while still remaining true to their nature and core beliefs. Punk Skull says Punk is not dead! Punk Skull says that is funny!

Steven Z. noticed this stone at an international gem show and found it intriguing enough to share with Frank and Barry. The longer Steven handled and observed the stone, the more he was captivated by its unique and odd appearance. Inspired, Steven brought the stone back to the Skullis studio and Punk Skull is the end result of this strange meeting! The stone was sold as Ceramic Antique Stone, and it does look very similar to many of the antique stones that have been used in the past for buildings, steps, walkways, and many other purposes.

Based on the appearance of the stone’s shapes and coloration, we presume this is a limestone speleothem, formed from calcium carbonate saturated water. The process is relatively common. As rain containing carbon dioxide, an acidic solution, passes through sedimentary layers of limestone deposits, it dissolves the calcite in the limestone. When this supersaturated hard water finds its way to a cave environment with elevated temperatures, the carbon dioxide is released and the calcium carbonate precipitates out of the solution. This is how most speleothems are formed, like the more common stalactites and stalagmites found in cave formations. Along with caves, similar types of formations can be found in many areas where water that is heavily saturated with calcium carbonate exists.

Limestone encourages optimism and enables one to see things as they are without judgment. It encourages one to be patient and to understand that what is needed will be provided, perhaps not immediately, but eventually, when it is required. It is cleansing and assists to remove negative thoughts from one’s mind and negative energies from one’s environment. Limestone is a good stone for grounding and aids in remaining focused and concentrated with regards to oneself. Limestone can be used to enhance and combine the energies and properties of other gems and crystals, along with directed energies and thoughts of a person using limestone to achieve a goal.

Limestone assists in mental concentration, allowing one to follow long processes without getting lost. It also can be used for gaining and building up stores of resources, including financial and material, knowledge and wisdom, and spiritually based resources. It helps one to recognize and manifest experiences of synchronicity, bringing the realization that chains of related events are more than coincidence. Limestone is also effective at bringing together and unifying different people and groups into a cohesive community.

In Feng Shui, limestone is used in the center of an area for health, overall wellness, and balance.

Limestone stimulates optimal health and well being, and amplifies healing. It is useful for treating the teeth and skeletal structure, muscle spasms, issues with the feet and ankles, and helps to maintain the body’s various pH levels. Limestone is also useful when addressing issues involving the health of the skin.

Calcite is an extremely versatile crystal, lending its energies and characteristics to many applications. Calcite gently magnifies energies from many sources including conscious direction and intentions, other gems and minerals, other similar tools, and also energies from the surrounding environment, to work together harmoniously. It refines the resulting experience by regulating higher and more dynamic energies and amplifying the more subtle ones. Calcite is an effective crystal of protection, grounding, and centering. Calcite is considered a stone of harmony, manifestation and prosperity, and is used to intensify the process and results of astral travel, intuition, and channeling. It is also considered to be a stone of wisdom and spirituality.

Calcite is especially effective at removing internalized attached negative energies, gently clearing and transmuting them into positive energy that can be utilized for productive purposes. This proclivity of calcite enables one to achieve forgiveness and acceptance, for self and for outside situations, allowing for the understanding of the reasons behind discordant behaviors. This clearing also applies to physical spaces, and calcite also opens, unblocks, and clears energy conduits, making it useful for clearing the chakras, various physical systems, mental processes, and the aura. Calcite can assist in releasing unproductive habits and thought patterns and give one the will to move forward in their endeavors. Calcite brings peace to its environment and those that share space with it.

Calcite provides support when experiencing mental changes and transitions, and it helps one to relax and remain emotionally calm and at peace. It enhances thinking processes and is considered an excellent crystal for students and researchers, promoting creativity and imagination as well. Calcite’s magnification of intellectual functions enables one to let go of fear and assists in reducing stress and anxiety. Calcite also aids in communication, bringing harmony to issues created by misunderstandings with others, helping to bring balance to relationships.

Calcite is considered to be an excellent healing crystal in all applications. It is most commonly used for treatment of issues pertaining to the skeleton and bones, and muscles and ligaments, and has been used to relieve arthritis, joint issues, and back pain. Calcite is used to bring health to the teeth, eyes, the reproductive and intestinal systems, and for gallbladder dis-ease. It is also used to reduce the production of excessive mucous. Calcite is also considered to be very effective in the treatment of mental and emotional issues. Calcite makes an excellent tool for assisting with remote healing.

NOTE: Skullis offers information for reference. Skullis does not prescribe treatment for medical issues.