One of the richest, darkest, and most exotically beautiful burls in the world, Roman woodworkers used this precious wood in temples in Biblical times. Today very little thuya is cut for lumber, instead workers dig beneath the ground to harvest the tree’s root burls, which are rotary sliced for veneer. The aromatic wood varies in color from light tan to deep, rich chocolate brown. The eyes of the figure are typically small and thickly scattered, creating a concentrated burl figure highly sought after for marquetry, custom furniture, and high-end architectural use.