Turritella Agate - Oval Cabochon

This is a beautiful brown and cream oval turritella agate cabochon. This piece demonstrates the distinct spiral shell fossil outline that turritella agates are known for. It is well balanced and ideal for a central jewelry piece. Turritella Agate is a brown, translucent to semi-transparent, fossiliferous agate found in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. It contains large fossil snails that stand out in a white-to-tan color against the brownish agate. Interestingly, the original name of  the stone, though that the spectacular spiral-shaped gastropod (snail) fossils entombed within the stone were members of the marine Turritella genus.  The fossil snail is actually the freshwater snail, Elimia tenera, a member of the Pleuroceridae family. Unfortunately the material was widely sold and advertised under the original incorrect name and, therefore it stuck.   Material: Turritella agate Shape: oval Weight: 16.2 grams Height: 45.5 mm Width: 28 mm Depth: 8 mm Material Source: Wyoming   Meta