Mini tree on a wooden base — Black agate

A tree assembled wire by wire, leaf after leaf, from natural stone chips; the branches are shaped and spread by hand.

A deep matte black, sometimes crossed by a paler gray band, polished to a greasy luster.

Symbolic reading. A protective stone in most Mediterranean traditions, it is credited with steadying and bringing you back to calm.

In practice. The branches can be gently repositioned to the balance you want — that is intended, and it is what makes each tree end up resembling whoever set it. Dust with a soft brush or compressed air, never with a cloth, which catches on the wires.

• Agate is a banded chalcedony: its bands mark the successive deposits of silica in a volcanic cavity.
• Finish: wooden base · small
• A natural piece: shade, veining and dimensions vary from one example to the next

A decorative object for personal practice. It is no substitute for medical advice or treatment.