10.3" Polished, Petrified Wood With Fungal Rot - Arizona

Polished, Petrified Wood With Fungal Rot - Arizona #185091

This is a fascinating, 10.3" wide, polished section of petrified wood from Arizona. It is polished to a mirror like finish on one side. The base of the piece has been cut flat so that it displays nicely on a hard surface without the need for a display stand.

One interesting aspect of this large round is the orb-looking areas. These are preserved fungal rot, where the wood had begun to rot prior to fossilization.

Petrified wood is the name given to wood that has been turned into stone (fossilized) through the process of permineralization. In this process, all of the organic matter becomes replaced by minerals, while much of the original structure, such as tree rings, is retained. For this to happen, the wood needs to be buried in an environment low in oxygen to prevent decomposition and with flowing, mineral-laden water, so minerals may replace structures. The coloration is caused by various minerals that present in that water during fossilization. For example, red colors are due to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.