[Woodcarver] I got 50,000 year old wood for Christmas (Kauri).

[Merrilee Johnson]

Wow Joe!
  What a great present!  What ever you carve on it it will inspire all that 
look at it to see the beauty of what we have been given.
    But now a question....  I read the explaination and then went to the web 
site to look.  If this log is that big and its so hard to take out how in 
the world can they "fix the area to its orginal contours with no effect on  
environmental consequences"?  Wouldn't just removing it change the 
environment?  And would that matter really?  Just a thought.
Merrilee




>From: "Joe Dillett" <jdillett at thecarvingshop.com>

>Reply-To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>

>To: "! Joe Dillett (List)" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>

>Subject: [Woodcarver] I got 50,000 year old wood for Christmas (Kauri).

>Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2005 09:31:10 -0600

>

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>What did you get for Christmas? I got a wonderful piece of Karui about 9 X 

>12 X 2-inches thick.

>

>This ancient wood is called Kauri (cow-re). It is the world's oldest wood. 

>It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

>

>Here is what is written about it.:

>

>"Ancient Kauri is the world's oldest workable timber.

>

>The prehistoric Kauri forests that grew 50,000 years ago are preserved 

>under the surface of the North Island of New Zealand.

>

>Buried under a peat swamp by an unexplained act of nature at the end of the 

>last Ice Age, the trees have survived the centuries in an underground 

>resting place, sealed in a chemically blanced environment that has 

>preserved the timber in perfect condition.

>

>The trees grew for nearly 2000 years before they were buried. Some have a 

>girth of around 40 feet, and a total height of nearly 200 feet. They are 

>among the largest trees in the world.

>

>Extraction of the logs is time consuming, expensive and technically 

>difficult requiring skilled operators of heavy machinery. Working in wet 

>conditions each log must be carefully brought to the surface. Once removed 

>from the ground the log is assessed, than milled to yield the best grain 

>and timber qualities. After the log has been removed, the area is than 

>restored to its original contours with no environmental consequences.

>

>Despite its long burial, with careful selection, cutting and drying, the 

>wood maintains its beautiful qualities and finishes to a rich cognac shade. 

>When polished the wood is a deep color with hues, textures and sheen's that 

>constantly change under different shades of light. It literally glistens as 

>if lit from beneath the surface.

>

>Extensive scientific Radio Carbon Dating tests have done on samples of 

>Ancient Kauri by independent organizations that include:

>

>The University of New Zealand in Walkato

>

>The University of Sydney, Australia

>

>The New Zealand Institute of Nuclear Science

>

>Beta Analytic Inc. of Miami, Florida, the United States leading laboratory 

>for radio carbon dating analyses.

>

>Dating has proven beyond doubt that these Kauri forests grew during the 

>period 30,000 to more than 50,000 years ago.

>

>Scientists are also studying the growth rings of Ancient Kauri to piece 

>together a look at the environment of our planet before the arrival of 

>modern man.

>

>Every finished piece becomes a collectable investment proven to stand the 

>test of time. It is not known how much Ancient Kauri lies beneath the 

>ground. Because there is a finite amount of Ancient Kauri available, you 

>will want to take advantage of having the privileged opportunity to use and 

>enjoy this distinctive and extremely rare wood."

>

>Sharon purchased a piece of this Ancient Kauri (about 9 X 12 X 2-inches) 

>for about $50. She got it from The Hardwood Connection (815-895-8733) in 

>Sycamore Illinois. The Hardwood Connection got it from the wholesale 

>company Ancientwood, Ltd. 160 Madeline Island, La Pointe, WI. 54850 USA. 

>There website is http://www.ancientwood.com

>

>I don't know what I'll be carving in it yet. These trees have grown for 

>2000 years and were buried before man was put on this earth. What an Ice 

>Age to have been able to bulldoze whole landscapes pushing mountains of 

>earth and burying trees so large that a house could fit inside. I'm 

>guessing that I'll be carving something religious trying to show the power 

>of God's creation and that it was all done for us. How does an artist show 

>that? I'm thinking that God has returned a piece of that history to me so I 

>could realize that all this creation was for you and me and every human 

>life born and unborn. We use the resources of the earth older than these 

>trees like oil and diamonds without much thought as to their age but 

>somehow this wood is different to me. Perhaps because it was a living thing 

>and remains in almost exactly the same form as it did back 50,000 years 

>ago.

>

>

>Joe Dillett

>The Carving Shop

>645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3

>Somonauk, IL. 60552

>(815) 498-9290 phone

>(815) 498-9249 fax

>http://www.thecarvingshop.com

>jdillett at thecarvingshop.com

>http://www.carvingmagazine.com Carving Magazine web site and Readers Forum

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>Magazine.

>http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett

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