STROMATOLITE SPECIMEN
UPPER TACHGAGALT FORMATION, MOROCCO, PRECAMBRIAN PERIOD, 635 ? 541 MILLION YEARS B.P.
cut and polished stromatolite (Conophyton amantourartensis), displaying undulating and folding growth structures, in tones of reddish-brown, rust and tan, raised on a bespoke mount
42.4cm tall
This specimen stands as evidence of some of the world?s earliest life forms. Stromatolites first appeared more than 3.5 billion years ago, forming in the shallow, warm waters of the Earth?s primordial seas. There, microbial mats trapped and bound fine sediment and minerals, creating layers over vast periods of time. The banding visible here preserves that gradual process, offering a direct link to life in its earliest stages.