HISTORIC SPECIMEN OF JURASSIC FOSSILISED WOOD - 150 million years old - Isle of Portland, Dorset
« backJURASSIC FOSSILISED WOOD
Historic specimen from the collection of Robert Martin Berkeley (1823-1897)
150 million years old
Isle of Portland, Dorset
At the base of the Purbeck Formation in Dorset is a layer of rock containing fossil trees that have now been silicified - in other words completely replaced by quartz. The trees grew around a saline lagoon that occupied this area towards the end of the Jurassic period.
The dominant tree was a large conifer that was adapted to living in what was then a climate of hot, arid summers and warm, wet winters. The trees were drowned by the rising waters of the lagoon and many have been preserved in their original positions of growth. At this time Dorset was situated at the same latitude as present-day Malta.
This specimen was acquired at auction at Sothebys in 2019 as part of the contents of Spetchley Park in Worcestershire, the Berkeley family seat. It stands upright for display.
Please note: This item weighs over 3 kilograms.
Click on a picture for a larger image
Size: 17 x 13 x 10 centimetres
Weight: 3.06 kilograms
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