Fossilised Coral aka Petoskey Stone
Highly polished fossilised coral tumbled stones from the area around Lake Michigan. Most of the world's fossilised coral comes from Indonesia or the USA.
Fossilised coral dates back approximately 350 million years. During this time the area around Lake Michigan was close to the equator and covered by a warm shallow sea. Hexagonaria percarinata as this extinct form of coral is correctly known, thrived in tropical reefs.
In the finest grade material six-sided corallites can be seen. Corallites are skeletal cups formed by polyps into which they can retract. Polyps are related to sea anemones and jellyfish. They have a sac-like body and a 'mouth' surrounded by stinging tentacles.
The cup secreted by the polyp is aragonite which is the crystalline form of calcium carbonate. This chemical compound occurs in rocks as the minerals calcium and aragonite. It's also the main component of eggshells, snail and seashells and pearls.
Our fossilised coral tumbled stones are size large although size can vary from piece to piece.
Markings in these crystals are generally very subtle. Fossilised coral from the USA is also known as Petoskey Stone.
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