Magnolia Leaves in Tufa, from Italy

Magnolia Leaves in Tufa, from Italy

An extremely interesting specimen - this could be considered a 'modern fossil'.

These pieces date from the Holocene, otherwise known as the current geological era - less than 11,650 years old. Tufa is a type of Limestone which is formed when minerals precipitate out of water - usually water rich with Calcite.

These pieces come from Tivoli, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Each specimen has at least one Magnolia leaf, and usually a lot of associated detritus - leaf imprints, twigs, and other inclusions - very interesting under magnification. Layers of calcification have built up over time, preserving the leaves in reasonable detail.

These pieces are sold by size, with a few different sizes available.