Petrified Wood

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Name/Title

Petrified Wood

Entry/Object ID

78.58.382

Description

Assemblage Zone: sedimentary Chemical Composition: Si O2 Crystal System: Hexagonal Description: Family: Oleaceae Genus: Fraxinus Common Name: Ash Age: Miocene Location data: Saddle Mountain, Grand County, Washington Description: Thick slab with polished face. Polished side shows wood in white, creams, tans, browns, black with traces of red. Growth rings are distinct. One side contains a circular wood area, possiby a knot. Size: 5.125"x 7.375"x .750" Type of Fossils Present: Plants Fracture: conchoidal Grain Size: Fine Hardness: 7 Quartz Luster: Glassy Occurrence: Silicified wood, which is the fossilization and/or opalization of organic woody matter by the deposition of SiO2 in a anaerobic environment to prevent decay. This means that the wood must somehow be buried in an oxygen free enviroment, possibly in the silt-laden river or the bottom of a lake or buried by volcanic ash or volcanic related mudflow. The organic material in the wood is then replaced by silica, other minerals determined the colors of the petrified wood. Pressure: Moderate Rock Color: Medium Rock Origin: Post-depositional Rock Type: Sedimentary Specific Gravity: 2.6 Surface Process: Not apparent Streak: white Temperature: Low Texture: microcrystalline Variety: Petrified wood is hydrous microcrystalline variety of quartz that can be defined in general term of chalcedony or opalization

Collection

Petrified Wood Collection

Acquisition

Accession

78.58.

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

Other Number: 78.58.382

Dimensions

Width

7-3/8 in

Depth

3/4 in

Length

5-1/8 in

Dimension Notes

Dimension taken at widest points

Location

Location

Container

Center

Drawer

Top Shelf

Shelf

Right

Cabinet

Case #110

Wall

West Wall

Building

Mentzer Hall - Petrified Wood Room

Category

Permanent