Soapstone
Soapstone,
also known as steatite, is a metamorphic rock . It tends to be
a very soft rock, and is therefore easily worked into forms such
as bowls, pipes, or figurines. Many Native Americans once used
soapstone to make cooking vessels because of the ease in carving
and the fact that it holds heat well. This occurred primarily
during the Late Archaic period, between 3000 and 5000 years ago.
Soapstone was a very important commodity. Soapstone pots were
traded far from their origins. The manufacture and trade of soapstone
objects was probably the first industry in the southeast! In many
parts of the world, including Brazil, soapstone cookware is widely
used because of it's unique qualities.
Soapstone has also been used for foot and bed warmers before there
was central heating, and continues to be used for carving of artistic
objects, fireplaces, kitchen coutertops and many other items.
Some of the same outcrops have thus been quarried by people on
and off for as much as 5000 years!
Please note that there are two different kinds of stone, popularly
called soapstone; Talc, which is a softer stone, used for carvings,
and Steatite, wich is harder than Talc, used for countertops,
fireplaces, ovens and etc. Brazilian Soapstone for carving(Talc)
is known to be the preferred carving stone of the Inuit(Eskimos),
because of it's unique patterns, colors and softness.
