Petrified wood
Petrified wood (from the Greek root Petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. It is the result of a tree having turned completely into stone by the process of per mineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (most often a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three dimensional representation of the original organic material.
The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition.
Petrified Wood Media
Polished slice of a petrified tree from the Late Triassic Epoch (approximately 230 million years ago) found in Arizona. The remains of insects can be detected in an enlarged image.
Petrified log at the Petrified Forest National Park
Microscopic view of petrified Callixylon wood
Petrified wood mineralized with carnotite from St. George, Utah
Petrified wood from the Shinarump Formation at the Nacimiento Mine, Cuba, New Mexico. The brown wood at right *shows conventional silica mineralization. The black wood at left shows unusual mineralization with chalcocite and other sulfide minerals. The blue-green stains are from oxidation of the chalcocite to azurite and malachite.
Table constructed from petrified wood
Chunk of petrified wood near El Kurru (Northern Sudan)
Petrified log and Welwitschia at Namibia Petrified forest
Petrified logs at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, USA
Petrified log in Paleorrota geopark, Brazil
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