Petrified Sequoia

A stone slab of opalised wood. The trunks, branches and roots of the trees belong to Tertiary sequoias that grew in a volcanic area in what is today northern Hungary. After they died, the huge sequoia trunks were buried in mud and volcanic ash, where they were later impregnated with opal crystallising from mineralised thermal solutions. Because the stone is composed of hard opal (an amorphous form of SiO2), the slab is very hard, strong and compact. To preserve the authenticity of the petrified wood, the natural cracks are not filled with resin or any other material. Even so, the strength of the polished slabs is very high. The pastel colours of these stones range through white, grey, yellowish, beige and various shades of brown to black. These colour tones combine well with both traditional and modern interiors; the raw stone with its original texture is a striking architectural element in itself. The decorative slab can be used to make inimitable coffee tables and large tables, or as a wall decoration instead of pictures. The weight of 120 kg is only approximate. Dimensions 95 cm x 104 cm; the back is natural and unworked.