#678 Kauri Timber - New Zealand

Acquired 2014

As we toured the North Island of New Zealand through the Kauri Coast, in April 2014, we visited the Kauri Museum. This museum features this most unusual timber native to only this area of New Zealand and the world. The massiveness of the trees reminds us very much of our redwood trees, except that this bark is white not red! Kauri trees still grow in this area, and we even visited a National Park featuring the largest and second largest Kauri trees.But the Kauri wood used in this unique one-piece hand-carved nativity of the Holy Family comes from a most unusual Kauri tree! Many years ago, in the very upper part of this Northern New Zealand Island, land digs uncovered hundreds of preserved, buried old Kauri trees. Even though under the earth for up to 45,000 years, the wood was preserved! Some of this unearthed, preserved timber was featured in this museum and other museums in New Zealand. The wood is extremely expensive and understandably so! Such is the wood used in the nativity I purchased.I found this awesome nativity in the gift shop of the Kauri Museum. It is “recycled” Kauri wood from a monastery in Auckland. Part of the monastery was remodeled, and all the removed old, preserved wood was saved! My nativity is from that wood. This piece was carved by Jiries Giacaman, from Auckland, New Zealand. My purchase price was $326.00. I'm so glad I purchased this piece - it turned out to be the only nativity I saw in New Zealand!!!!