{"product_id":"fru-fli-1","title":"Suffolk Flint Nodule (England, UK)","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuffolk Flint Nodule\u003c\/strong\u003e - Shotley, Shotley Marina, River Orwell shore, Suffolk, England, UK\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003eThis flint nodule is more than just a stone; it is encapsulated moments of deep time, recovered from the tidal shores of the \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"130\"\u003eRiver Orwell at Shotley Marina, Suffolk\u003c\/b\u003e. This region of East Anglia is world-renowned for its high-quality flint, a material that defined the technology of our prehistoric ancestors and shaped the very landscape of the English coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eThe story of these specimens began approximately \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"49\"\u003e80 to 90 million years ago\u003c\/b\u003e during the Upper Cretaceous period. At that time, Britain lay beneath a warm, tropical sea teeming with life. These nodules formed as \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"210\"\u003eSilica (\u003cspan class=\"math-inline\" data-math=\"SiO_2\" data-index-in-node=\"218\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"katex\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"katex-html\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"base\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"strut\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mord mathnormal\"\u003eS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mord mathnormal\"\u003ei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mord\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mord mathnormal\"\u003eO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"msupsub\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist-t vlist-t2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist-r\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pstrut\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mord mtight\"\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist-s\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist-r\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"vlist\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003c\/b\u003e precipitated out of seawater—often concentrated by the remains of prehistoric sea sponges—and filled the burrows and voids within thick layers of soft, white chalk mud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eOver eons, the surrounding chalk eroded away, releasing these dense, durable nodules. Those found along the Shotley shore have been further refined by the gentle power of the River Orwell. The water has \"tumbled\" the stones, smoothing their outer \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"247\"\u003ecortex\u003c\/b\u003e (the weathered \"rind\") and staining it with the rich, earthy tans and oranges characteristic of the Suffolk riverbeds.\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eEach nodule features a rugged, matte exterior that hides a secret, which is a glassy, cryptocrystalline interior that ranges from smoky grey to \"flint-black\". These specimens exhibit a famous \"shell-like\" conchoidal fracture if chipped, which is the same property that made flint the premier material for Stone Age tools and modern fire-starting. Because they formed in the organic burrows of ancient sea creatures, these nodules often take on \"zoomorphic\" or abstract shapes, making each one a unique natural sculpture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"10\"\u003eThese flints are ideal for a variety of users and purposes. They are perfect for geology enthusiasts looking for a textbook specimen of biogenic silica or educators demonstrating the properties of the Cretaceous chalk beds. Additionally, they appeal to bushcraft practitioners looking for fire-starting tools, or collectors of \"curios\" drawn to the tactile, river-worn beauty of the English coast. Ultimately, these Shotley flints serve as a tangible connection to Britain’s ancient maritime past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"147\" data-start=\"136\"\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Shotley, Shotley Marina, River Orwell shore, Suffolk, England, UK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"199\" data-start=\"196\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"213\" data-start=\"199\"\u003eRock type:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Flint (mainly SiO2)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"239\" data-start=\"236\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-end=\"367\" data-start=\"358\"\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e ~8(L) x 2(H) x 2(W) cm (see scale cube), 95 g\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Frugeo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52741964136785,"sku":"FRU-FLI-1","price":7.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0885\/9749\/6145\/files\/FRU-FLI-1a.jpg?v=1767567078","url":"https:\/\/frugeo.science\/products\/fru-fli-1","provider":"Frugeo Geology Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}