Many cultures and religious across the globe have used the "tree of life" as a way to represent the interconnectedness of all life on the planet. In ancient Armenia, the tree was not only a religious symbol, but was also carved on soldier's armor. The Chinese tree of life typically depicts a dragon and a phoenix, symbols of immortality and rebirth. In Christianity, the tree of life appears in the book of Genesis, where it remains in the garden of Eden, a symbol of humanity free from the concept of original sin. The idea of the tree of life was also used by Charles Darwin to illustrate the interconnectedness of all life forms.

Artist Sue Coccia's tree of life artwork features a leopard emerging from butterfly wings, surrounded by flora and fauna. Printed on archival paper over 1/4" plywood, this wooden puzzle features dozens of "whimsy" pieces in the shape of flowers and animals. No two of the 539 pieces are alike, and they're slightly smaller than a typical puzzle piece to heighten the challenge.

Hand-cut wooden puzzles were hugely popular in the 1900s and again during the Great Depression, and these heirlooms now sell for thousands of dollars. Colorado-based Liberty Puzzles bring some of the art and craft back to puzzle-making by laser-cutting intricate pieces into high-quality plywood, which won't warp or split as easily as hardwood. For avid puzzle fans, plunking a hard searched-for piece into place is that much more satisfying with the thick pieces of a wooden puzzle.

Made in Boulder, Colorado. For ages 9 and up. 18"H x 16 1/4"W x 1/4"D. 539 pieces.