This is an very attractive decorative Black Oak Natural Edge bowl with the bark still attached. The tree fell down in a friends yard after a wet winter in Orinda, California in 2009/2010. A gloss polyurethane finish was used to help protect and enhance the wood's character. This is a lovely decorative bowl and while the bark is firmly attached, it should be handled with care. It may be wiped clean with a slightly damp cloth.