Petrified forest, Khorixas

Large petrified tree trunk

The Petrified forest located some 40 kilometres west of the Namibian town of Khorixas, on the C39 road, is a deposit of large tree trunks that have "turned to stone" through a process of diagenesis. There at least two large tree trunks exposed to view and more may be out of sight. The site was declared a National Monument on 1 March 1950.

It is believed that the trees were swept downstream by a large flood and covered by alluvial sands. Deprived of air, the organic matter could not rot and decay, but instead, over millions of years, underwent silicification, whereby each cell is individually fossilised and the appearance, if not the colour, of wood is retained. The surrounding sands became sandstone, which is now eroding away.

In addition, there are a large number of welwitschia plants at the site.

Public access is by guided tour only. There are toilet and refreshment facilities.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Petrified forest, Khorixas.

External links

Petrified forest, Damaraland

Petrified forests

In the world

Europe	Petrified forest of Lesbos, Greece Chemnitz petrified forest, Germany Dorset Fossil Forest, United Kingdom

North America	Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Calistoga Petrified Forest, California Pike Petrified Forest, Colorado Mississippi Petrified Forest, Mississippi Gilboa Fossil Forest, New York Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, Utah Lemmon Petrified Wood Park, South Dakota Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, Washington Specimen Ridge, Wyoming Axel Heiberg Island, Canada

South America	Sarmiento Petrified Forest, Argentina Palaeobotanical Garden in Mata, Brazil

Oceania	Lake Macquarie Petrified Forest, Australia Curio Bay, New Zealand

Other	Damaraland, Namibia Bantak Petrified Forest Park, Thailand

In fiction

The Petrified Forest

Coordinates: 20°26′19″S 14°36′23″E / 20.4385°S 14.6064°E / -20.4385; 14.6064

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