The term “Apache Tears” refers to small round pebbles made of the semi-precious mineral Obsidian, which is black or dark-colored volcanic glass.
 
These pebbles are relatively small; usually, less than two inches across, and are frequently dented or imperfectly round. These unique stones originate in the western United States, especially Arizona and Nevada, the parts of the United States known for their desert-like topography.
Their name comes from the First Nations Apache tribe in the United States. They were named after a gruesome and tragic story about the Apache tribe.
In the 1870s, a small group of Apache warriors met the American Cavalry in a battle. They were sorely outnumbered, and it became clear that they could not win the battle. Instead of conceding defeat and being captured and murdered, they decided to ride their horses off the side of a mountain to their deaths.
According to the story, when the wives and children of these warriors heard this story, their tears turned to stones when they touched the ground where their warriors fell. These stones were left scattered across the desert, where they can now be found.
Apache Tears have a special connection to the mythology of the Apache culture and the ability to recover from grief.