About Ancient Kauri Wood

Woodstock is home to the world’s oldest wood, Ancient Kauri Wood. Ancient Kauri is known for its captivating story. Dating back to 50,000 years ago, by the cataclysmic forces of nature; the Kauri Trees were fallen and buried in mud with lack of decomposition. Never to be seen by human eyes until these exotic treasures were recently uncovered in the swamps of New Zealand. Spanning as much as 200 feet tall and 40 feet in circumference, these trees have beautiful iridescent hues of gold. There is no other wood in the world as rare and exclusive as the Ancient Kauri Wood.


For reasons that we do not know exactly, these trees were laid to rest in the swampy Northern part of New Zealand about 30,000-50,000 years ago. Having been in the swamps of New Zealand helped the Ancient Kauri’s preservation for many years to come. Many, if not most, of the trees are located now on what is private farmland. By carefully examining the ground, the excavation team is able to determine where the trees have been laid to rest. This team uses large excavators and machinery to unbury these trees very carefully. We never know how fragile a tree will be that has been soaking in swamps/dirt for thousands of years. Of course, once these trees are uncovered and they see light for the first time in thousands of years, they are sent to a kiln to dry. This will ensure that the wood does not warp and is ready to be used for woodworking. From here, Ancient Kauri is then able to be used efficiently. Only a handful of people/companies around the entire world own and have seen Ancient Kauri, and we are glad to be one of those companies. Call a Woodstock Professional for more information.

How Old is 50,000 Years?

About 50,000 years ago, the first Homo Sapiens were inhabiting Asia/Australia and the Ancient Kauri Trees were growing in New Zealand. The first cave paintings (that we know of) were created around 35,000 years ago. The first use of ceramic was about 28,000 years ago during the late paleolithic period. This was a statuette of a woman, named Venus of Dolí Věstonice. She was from a small prehistoric settlement near Brno, in the Czech Republic. Along with her statuette were hundreds of other clay figurines representing numerous Ice Age animals. The last Ice Age approximately ended 12,000 years ago. The Ancient Kauri Wood lived during the Ice Age! Not only that, but all of this happened before the wheel was invented approximately 5,500 years ago, and only 4,500 years ago, the Sphynx was created. These facts really put to account how old our Ancient Kauri Wood really is. The United States is only about 250 years old. Multiply that by 200x and that is how old the Ancient Kauri Wood really is. It is truly remarkable how we have been able to preserve these beautiful pieces of mother nature’s artwork.

We would love for you to come and take a look at our beautiful ancient collection of Ancient Kauri! Not only do we carry large (> 10ft) and small (< 5ft) wood slabs, but we also have furniture and artwork made out of this immaculate woodworking wood. For more information or to schedule an appointment, speak to a Woodstock Professional and learn for yourself how remarkable this Ancient Kauri Wood actually is!

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