Petrified wood (the word originating from ancient Greek petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is the name given to the fossilized remains of terrestrial tree vegetation. It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone or crystal by the process of per-mineralisation. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue.
Petrified wood monkey puzzle table, Arizona, USA
Petrified monkey puzzle and cherry wood table.
A slice of the tree of exceptional quality and rich red colouration. Such is the quality of preservation, that the original individual wood cells have been preserved and are visible under magnification.