14.6" Polished Petrified Wood Round With Fungal Rot - Circle Cliffs

Polished Petrified Wood Round With Fungal Rot - Circle Cliffs #244647

This is a 14.6" wide, polished round of petrified wood from the Triassic Chinle Formation of Utah. It has polished on one side to a glossy finish and comes with a display stand. It is part of an old collection I recently purchased with some unique pieces from unusual localities. One interesting aspect of this round is the circular/ovals visible on the surface which are preserved fungal rot within the wood.

What Is Petrified Wood

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/impurities present in the water during fossilization. For example, red colors in many cases can be attributed to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.

SPECIES

Conifer

AGE

Upper Triassic (~212 Million Years)