Petrified wood (from the Greek root petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is a type of fossil that consists of fossil wood in which all the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (most often a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen. Mineral-rich water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells and as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay away, a stone mould forms in its place.
In general, wood takes less than 100 years to petrify. The organic matter needs to become petrified before it decomposes completely.
A forest where the wood has petrified becomes known as a petrified forest.
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