As they were used in early Pagan and Christian death rituals, yew trees are often found in the churchyards of Northern Europe. After circa 2,000 years the centre of the giant tree breaks down, leaving the trunk split into two halves. A sample was taken from each half of a 5,500 year old tree in Wales. They were stored in a solution of ethanol and water for one year. The biological matter from both halves was drawn into the liquid medium, brought together for the first time in thousands of years.