Petrified Wood — Araucarioxylon — Exceptional Preservation

$193.51
Chemical FormulaSilica replacement of wood
Crystal System
Mohs Hardness
Specific Gravity
Luster
Transparency

228-million-year-old trees from the Triassic floodplains of what would become Arizona were buried in volcanic ash, silicified over millions of years, then exposed by erosion. The o…

9 in stock

SKU: TC-FOS-0545
Category:
Tags: , ,

Description

Consider what had to happen for this specimen to exist. 228-million-year-old trees from the Triassic floodplains of what would become Arizona were buried in volcanic ash, silicified over millions of years, then exposed by erosion. The original wood cells are replaced by quartz or chalcedony in precise detail — annual rings, cellular structure, and even fungal damage preserved in stone. These trees predated both mammals and birds.

This specimen originates from Petrified Forest, Arizona, USA, one of the world’s most significant localities for this type of material. Collectors and scientists have drawn from this region for generations, and for good reason: the combination of geological conditions here produces specimens of exceptional quality and clarity.

Every specimen is unique. Photographs approximate the visual experience, but the real thing — its weight, its luster under a raking light, the way it catches the corner of your eye — can only be experienced directly.

Formation

Fossilization is a rare event: fewer than 1 in 10,000 organisms ever become fossils, and even fewer survive to be collected. This specimen represents a successful preservation — chemistry, burial, and geological luck combining to maintain structural detail across millions of years.

Locality

Petrified Wood — Araucarioxylon — Exceptional Preservation from Petrified Forest, Arizona, USA. This locality is known for producing specimens of exceptional quality.

Collector Notes

Best displayed where natural light can play across the surfaces at different times of day.