‘Araucarioxylon arizonicum’
Triassic period
Petrified wood
Chinle Formation, Arizona
Approx. diameter: 16 in. (40.6 cm)

From the Greek root “petro” meaning rock or stone, petrified wood forms when plan material is buried by sediment and protected from decay. Over millions of years, solutions of silica loaded with iron and manganese seep into the sunken tree, resulting in a fascinating fossil of woody material. Often presented in sliced form or as logs, this present specimen has been fashioned into an alluring work of art by a master lapidarist. Swirling with blacks, creams, grays, greens, yellows and oranges, the result is an abstracted sphere full of information and intrigue. This example of nature’s art measures 16 inches in diameter.