A petrified trunk of an ancient ebony tree is lifted from a riverbed in Wuning, Jiangxi Province on Wednesday. A similar trunk found in Sichuan in 2012 was reportedly estimated to be worth millions of yuan. Photo: CFP

Large trunks of petrified ebony wood dating back as far as 6,000 years were uncovered from an ancient riverbed in Wuning county, Jiangxi Province.

Crowds gathered at the Chuantan River on Wednesday as excavation experts worked over six hours to extract the four large segments of precious fossilized wood.

The specimens, the largest of which is 10 meters long, were transported to the Wuning County Museum.

The rare wood was first discovered by a local villager surnamed Chen, who brought samples to the attention of local authorities, according to Deng Jinlin, director of the county's cultural center.

Expert analysis revealed the ebony to be 4,000 to 6,000 years old.

Fossilized samples of the dark and dense wood, usually found buried as a result of natural disasters, are prized for their rarity. Value is usually determined on quality and age.

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