THE MATERIAL IS STEGODON A EXTINT TYPE OF ELEPHANT LIKE CRITTER. THEY GET A LOT OF THESE FOSSILS IN JAVA AND EVIDENTALY OTHER ISLANDS IN INDONESIA. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER POSTS ON THIS PERHAPS A SEARCH FOR STEGODON OR FOSSIL IN THE OLD ARCHIVES WOULD TURN THEM UP. THE MATERIAL IS COMPLETELY MINERALIZED (TURNED TO STONE) AND IS NOT TOO HARD TO WORK WITH PROPER LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT AND DOES HAVE NICE COLOR INSIDE THE STONE EVEN THOUGH THE OUTSIDE IS SORT OF GREY IN COLOR. I SAW SOME BEING WORKED IN BALI AND PICKED UP A NICE COMPLETE TOOTH THERE AS WELL AS TWO FINISHED KERIS HANDLES. DUE TO THE DEGREE OF MINERALIZATION I DON'T THINK YOU WILL NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO PRESERVE IT DIRECT SUN MIGHT LESSEN THE COLOR AND IF YOU DROP IT ON A HARD SURFACE IT MAY BREAK BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT SHOULD BE STABLE. CONGRADULATIONS ON THE KERIS THE FOSSIL IS ESPECIALLY ATTRACTIVE.
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