Indonesian Agatized Fossil Coral 17-23mm long rectangular beads (ETB00585)

Fossil coral is a natural stone that is formed when ancient coral is gradually replaced with agate. The proper name for this material is agatized coral or agatized fossil coral. The fossilized coral typically appears as small flower-like patterns in the stone.

Agatized fossil coral can exhibit a wide range of natural colors, ranging from white and pink to brown, gray, black, yellow and red. Corals may vary widely within a single stone depending on weathering and oxidation and the original mineral content.

Corals are among the most colorful animals in the sea. Most corals live in warm, shallow, tropical seas and feed on plankton. The oldest fossil corals are from the Ordovican period, over 450 million years ago. Corals are marine animals with a sac-like body, mouth, tentacles and skeleton. It is the skeleton that survives in the fossil record. Corals may be solitary or found in large colonies. [source: gemselect.com]

Dimensions of beads:

Size: 20 x 38 x 6mm
- this is only an approximate, the size varies slightly.

Length: 16 inches