Flint Pebbles

A small collection of naturally rounded flint (chert) pebbles from the Diestian (Diestien) Formation of Waamrode, Belgium, dating to the Late Miocene.

These pebbles are composed of microcrystalline quartz and display classic flint characteristics: dark grey to brown colouring, a smooth to waxy surface, and sharp conchoidal fracture on broken faces. Several pieces show internal banding, pale “eye” structures, and fossil-related textures, likely representing silicified biogenic features such as sponge spicules or burrows — a well-known and distinctive trait of Belgian flints.

The rounded shapes indicate reworking and transport, with these pebbles derived from older Cretaceous chalk flints and later concentrated within Miocene sands and gravels. Belgian Diestian flints are widely collected for their durability, geological significance, and frequent preservation of subtle fossil structures.

142g