Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is actually a fossil, that forms when a tree dies and the organic matter is gradually replaced by stone, in this case Quartz. It is a similar process to how Opals are formed. Petrified Wood dates back hundreds of millions of years, and gets its name from the Latin petro meaning rock or stone, so the name literally translates to 'wood turned to stone'. The colours in Petrified Wood come from the different elements in the mud/water from when the wood was petrified - so Iron would give a red/brown colour, Cobalt and Copper would give greens/blues, whilst Manganese would result in pinks and oranges. Petrified Wood can be found in many locations throughout the world, but one of the most famous is the Petrified Forest in Arizona, USA. It was designated a National Monument in 1906, and since then it has become illegal to remove the gemstone from the park. Those who do have reported years of bad luck, and it has come to be known as the Curse of The Petrified Forest - there is even a museum dedicated to the poor folks who have fallen claim to the curse. The Park regularly gets stolen pieces posted back to them after their lives seemingly took a turn for the worse after their petty theft!