Ancient Kauri, also known as swamp kauri, is from kauri trees that have been buried and preserved in New Zealand’s peat swamps for up to 50,000 years. Some kauri were up to 2,000 years old when they fell. Swamp kauri is prized for its age, its appearance, and its rarity.

Infographic showing how swamp kauri can be formed. Photo credit: MPI NZ.

Excavation of Ancient Kauri wood is time consuming, expensive and technically difficult requiring skilled operators of heavy machinery. Most importantly it is environmently friendly. While working in wet conditions, each log must be carefully brought to the surface. After the log has been removed, the area is then restored to its original contours.

It takes years to dry Ancient Kauri. It is first stacked to be air dried and may take up to several years to dry. It is then temperature controlled dried in a kiln for another 6 months to reach an ideal air dry density.