Kauri - The World's Oldest Wood

A Historical Descriptive Summary

One can only imagine what is said when asked to put an age on “antique” wood. Well, ancient is the correct word to use. Kauri is the world's most unique and historical wood. Let me give a short version of its significance to you…then, you can do more extensive reading about Kauri on the website for the American-based company, Ancientwood, LTD.

What is so special about Kauri is its history. Ancient Kauri is found no other place on earth except the North Island of New Zealand. Kauri still grows in New Zealand and other areas around the Pacific Rim, but strict law protects the trees that still grow in New Zealand.

The wood is NOT petrified. Stands of the Kauri tree were overcome prior to the last ice age, and they became buried in prehistoric bogs, preserving the tree over the many millennia. Absolutely no standing trees are cut during this process. Only logs preserved in these ancient bogs are ever touched! Kauri logs are found below the lands of modern day farms and ranches. When a site is identified, all actions necessary are taken for permission to “harvest” the exposed logs. Special techniques are used to raise the log and transport it to a location to begin careful milling, and return the land to its original condition.

How old is Ancient Kauri?

Dating is performed by the finest radio carbon dating laboratory in the United States. Radio carbon dating places the age of these Ancient Kauri trees at 50,000 years old. YES, you read the age correctly! Radio carbon dating has limitations, and 50,000 is the maximum limit of this technique. So, this wood is most probably even older than this! Ancientwood, LTD. provides a Certificate of Authenticity for each pen plank they provide. Imperial Penworks, LLC will provide this certificate to you.

Ancientwood, LTD. Researched some other ages that are significant for us to keep in mind as we develop this perspective:
- 16,000 years ago the depressions that will become the Great Lakes were fully formed, and the region became ice-free approximately 5,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age.
- The oldest Homo Sapiens were on earth around 40,000 years ago.
- Woolly Mammoths and Saber Tooth Tigers became extinct about 10,000 years ago.
- The La Brea Tar Pits in California were actively gaining specimens 40,000 to 10,000 years ago.

- The oldest fossil of New Zealand Kauri is 175 million years old.