A Preserved Fossilized Tree from Turkey – a Limb Cast from Amasya Province
The specimen presented here is a rare, resin-encased fossil tree of the Limb Cast type, originating from the Göynücek region in Amasya Province (northern Turkey, near the Black Sea coast). The age of this exceptional fossil is estimated to be from the Miocene epoch (approx. 15–20 million years). Unlike classic petrified wood, in this case, silica-rich hydrothermal water dissolved the organic material of the fallen branches, and chalcedony crystallized in the resulting voids. The result is stunning, dense, and fully banded agates preserved in the form of a former tree branch.
Specimen parameters:
- ✓ Type: Agatized fossilized tree (Limb Cast)
- ✓ Age: Miocene (approx. 15–20 million years)
- ✓ Origin: Turkey, Amasya Province, Göynücek region
- ✓ Dimensions: approx. 77 × 48 × 27 mm
- ✓ Weight: approx. 108 g
- ✓ Unique: The item offered is exactly the specimen shown in the photos
The Limb Cast Geological Phenomenon
Limb Cast specimens are among the most sought-after forms of petrified wood in the world. This is because natural agate patterns with distinct, centrically banded striations rarely form such pure and saturated structures within plant fossils. The precise polishing of the surface allows one to admire the depth of the mineral, the play of light, and the contrast between the crystalline interior and the rough outer crust. This is a remarkable combination of paleobotany and mineralogy and a valuable addition to any collector’s collection.
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