13.5" Petrified Wood Log Covered In Druzy Quartz - Zwenkau, Germany

Petrified Wood Log Covered In Druzy Quartz - Zwenkau, Germany #130540

This is a phenomenal petrified wood specimen that underwent petrification by permineralization. This resulted in very detailed preservation that makes this petrified wood specimen look as if it's ready to be thrown on the fire. The sparkles that can be seen in the photos are a result of druzy quartz that encrusts much of the wood. This specimen comes with a custom wood base for aesthetic presentation.

This permineralized wood was collected from a coal mine deposit in Zwenkau, Eastern Germany. It is Upper Eocene in age, or roughly 35 million years old. Seldom does petrified wood feature this level of preservation detail. From what we can find this mine this specimens came from is now flooded and no new material has been found in some time.

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 that present in that water during fossilization. For example, red colors are due to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.