Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is a type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of the original organic material. The process occurs underground, and is initiated by a rapid event such as a flood that carries mud and sediment into a low lying forest and quickly buries the trees.  It can also happen as a result of a volcanic eruption that buries nearby forests in ash.  When the wood becomes buried under sediment and/or ash, it is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition (rotting), and from destruction by insects.  While they are buried, mineral-laden water enters into the wood and deposits minerals inside the tree’s cells, taking on the exact shape of the cell. Over time, all of the cells become filled with minerals while the organic matter decomposes, and the resulting stone looks exactly like the tree.  Generally, only the trunks of petrified trees are found because the leaves and branches are softer so tend to decompose faster than the minerals can accumulate in the cells. 

Petrified wood can be found on every continent with trees, or every continent but Antarctica. Some places petrified wood is commonly found are: USA, Argentina, Brazil, China, Indonesia, UK, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia, and Ukraine. The most famous location for observing petrified wood is Petrified Forest National Park near the community of Holbrook in Arizona.

The petrified wood specimen owned is approximately 1-3/4” x  1-1/2” x 1”, and weighs 74 grams. It was originally collected in Arizona.