Fossil wood - 珪化木 - 43 cm - 30 cm

マダガスカル産のとても良く保存された化石木片。時代は下部ジュラ紀。美しい色彩、明瞭で美しく保存された木材の質感、実に優れた品質です。
Note the beautiful mineral crystallization created over millions of years inside the cracks of the wood
これはマダガスカルのアンビロベ産の幅広い丸い petrified wood（アラウカリア）です。アラウカリアは、現代のモンキー・パズルツリーを含むマツ科の針葉樹です。約220百万年前のこの化石木は両面を薄くスライスし、研磨されているため、内部の美しい木目の細部と鮮やかな着色を容易に観察できます。
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/impurities present in the water during fossilization. For example, red colors in many cases can be attributed to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on