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Bryn Celli Ddu

Chamber pillar a fossil tree trunk?

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tjj T
tjj May 12, 2009 19:36:30
Replying to Michael Bott

Just watched the video clip twice, extremely interesting indeed. At first, when it was said that wood can petrify (in certain circumstances) in a century I started to wonder about the monolith being a wooden support used in the construction of the barrow.

When I looked at it the second time, I wondered what type of stone it is (or is meant to be) excuse my ignorance on this as I have not yet been to Angelsey (its on my list). In a north Wilthsire town there are loads of large stones lying around, some of them are sarsens but a significant number are sandstone which tend to have a rougher surface; it is also much softer in terms of 'working it'.

I do have a piece of fossilized wood; it is very irregular in both colour and texture.

R Rupert Soskin
Rupert Soskin May 12, 2009 23:48:12
Replying to tjj

It's a real teaser. The rock type doesn't seem to be like any others at the site but your comment on it being a possible wooden post from an earlier stage is lovely!
I had wondered whether it was a mid-stage geological oddity, where crystal growth formed to make the cut marks while it was half way to complete petrification. That could explain the distortion around the marks.

Did you find your piece of petrified wood or buy it? Fossil pine is fairly plentiful and obviously heavily textured. One of my favourite pieces is pine but it still looks like a piece of wood you could have picked up yesterday.