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Petrified Wood Bowls, Platters & Side Tables

Owner Paul Michael acquired a wonderful selection of petrified wood, created by Mother Nature herself in West Java, Indonesia.

Here is the history on petrified wood derived from Indonesia:
There was a dense tropical forest covered that covered the Indonesian volcanic chain from Sumatra in Bali, to the west of Java. Some of the petrified wood we carry ranges from 20-65 million years old. From time to time, the volcanoes became active. The force of the eruption was such that surrounding forests were uprooted. A thick layer of burning volcanic ash covered them. The nearest trees were consumed, those insufficiently covered rotted away. But those between these two extremes benefited from ideal conditions. They became naturally sterilized by the heat which destroyed bacteria normally found in decay. The slabs that have more black in them are due to the burning of the tree before buried. The silica found in volcanic ash became dissolved in the percolation fluids. It gradually replaced the wood, molecule after molecule, by minerals such as quartz, agate or marble, hence preserving the shape of the trees and even their cells. Petrified trees are sometimes found in streams, but the most beautiful pieces are found buried several meters deep.
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