12.2" Vibrantly Colored, Polished Petrified Wood Section - Arizona

This is a beautifully colored, 12.2" wide, polished section of petrified wood (Araucarioxylon arizonicum) from Arizona. One side has been highly polished to a mirror like finish while the other shows the natural surface of the petrified log. It displays a variety of red, yellow and purple colors. It comes with a displays stand.

The vibrant coloration is due to the contaminating minerals in the silica which replaced the original wood structure. For example pinks and reds are due to hematite, a form of oxidized iron. This is similar petrified would which is found in the Petrified Forest National Park. The petrified forest encompasses nearly 100k acres and this wood comes from land outside of the park.

This wood is similar to petrified wood found in the Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Arizona. Its petrified forest encompasses nearly 100,000 acres, and is almost entirely represented by the extinct conifer Araucarioxylon arizonicum.

The petrified wood from Araucarioxylon arizonicum happens to be the state fossil of Arizona. It is frequently referred to as "rainbow wood" because of the large variety of colors some specimens exhibit. The reds and oranges come from hematite inclusions within the silica, the yellows from limonite, and the purples from extremely fine hematite spherules.

Araucarioxylon arizonicum is estimated to have grown more than 150 feet high and dominated the tropical forests in what is now Arizona nearly 225 million years ago.
SOLD
DETAILS
SPECIES
Araucarioxylon arizonicum
LOCATION
Near Holbrook, Arizona
FORMATION
Chinle Formation
SIZE
12.2x5.6", up to 2.3" thick
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#95067
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our
specimens. Read more about our
Authenticity Guarantee.