FAIRY STONE - CONCRETION

QUEBEC CANADA

AMAZING NATURAL FORMATION CONSISTING OF SAND AND SILT CONSOLIDATED BY  LIME STONE

THESE STONES, COMMONLY KNOWN AS “CONCRETIONS” USUALLY OCCUR AS SMALL ROUND MASSES OR FLAT CONCENTRIC DISCS OF VARYING DIAMETERS WHICH, WHEN JUXTAPOSED FORM MOSAICS. SOME ARE REMINISCENT OF WORKS BY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS.

THE IRREGULAR LINES ON SOME SPECIMENS WERE LEFT BY TINE WORMS OR ORGANIC DEPRIS THAT HAVE BEEN FOSSILIZED DURING THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THESE CONCRETIONS ARE FOUND IN LOOSE QUATERNARY DEPOSITS, HAVING SETTLED IN BODIES OF WATER FILLING DEPRESSIONS LEFT BY RECEDING GLACIERS, THEN HAVING BEEN FLUSHED BY THE CURRENTS AND DEPOSITED ON THE LAKE SHORES AND RIVER BANKS.

THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS CALLED THEM “FAIRY STONES” AND OFTEN WORE THEM FOR GOOD LUCK ON HUNTING AND FISHING EXPIDITIONS. LOVERS OFFERED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ONES TO THEIR BELOVED. LARGER SPECIMENS OFTEN OCCUPIED A PLACE OF HONOUR IN DWELLINGS; LEGENDS HAD IT THAT THESE STONES PROTECTED AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS AND BROUGHT HEALTH AND PROSPERITY TO THE OCCUPANTS.