Petrified Wood Slice Arizona

This vibrant red piece of petrified pine wood comes from Arizona and is approximately 225 million years old. Bright red colors line the edges, with blue-grays and some subtle yellows toward the center. The front of this petrified wood slice has been polished to a high gloss finish. Natural bark textures can be felt along the edges, and the back side has been reinforced with a thin layer of fiberglass to ensure structure stability of the slab.

Petrified wood forms when a tree falls and is rapidly buried by sediment such as volcanic ash or river sediments. This creates a reduced oxygen environment (anaerobic) which halts the usual decay process. Minerals carried through the flow of water and absorbed into the tree slowly began to replace the organic material and crystallize. Over hundreds and thousands of years this crystallization took place hardening into stone. Composed mostly of silica (quartz), small concentrations of other elements including iron, created the beautiful color variations seen here.