Oolitic Bird

Ooli Bird for short.  This bird sculpture is carved in Ancaster Weatherbed Limestone, which is an oolitic limestone (hence the name) – a sedimentary rock formed from ooids (spherical grains) bound together with calcium carbonate.  But that is all rather technical.

In any event, the stone’s formation is what gives rise to the wonderful markings in Ancaster stone which show beautifully in this piece – and the contours of the bird repeat the oolith shape!