Name: STROMATOLITE, ONE OF THE EARLIEST FORMS OF LIFE
Brand: Australia
Price: 1600.00 GBP
Availability: SoldOut

From the Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton, from the Early Archean (circa 3.48 billion years ago) the slice cut and polished to reveal layers of microbial mats.

4⁷⁄₈ x 5¹⁄₄ x ⁵⁄₈in. (12.3 x 13.5 x 1.5cm.)

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.
Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.

Conditions of Sale
FAQs
This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd

Brought to you by

James HyslopHead of Department, Science & Natural History

A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.

jhyslop@christies.com +44 (0) 20 7752 3205

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Lot Essay

As one of the earliest fossilized forms of life, a mystery still surrounds the creation of these fossils — formed during a hostile era when the newly formed continents were barren and life was confined to the seas. The age of the Earth is little over 4.5 billion year old, when life first appeared is unknown, some scientists have suggested it could have happened shortly after its creation.

Rock formations from the early Earth outcrop are incredibly rare. Rarer still are fossil from the Archean (4,000 to 2,500 million years ago). Some possible stromatolites from Greenland have been tentatively dated to 3.7 billion years old, but the oldest confirmed microbial mat fossils are from this 3.48 billion year old sandstone from Australia.