How to tell petrified wood from bone?

petrified wood and bone are often confused because they can both be white, shiny and look similar. However, petrified wood is a fossilized plant or tree while bone is a dead animal. Petrified wood is porous, and if you rub it with sand it will feel rough to the touch. Bone is more compact and often resembles ivory. While petrified wood often has a splotchy color, bone is usually uniform in color. If you cannot clearly see the difference between the two, make

How to find petrified wood?

petrified wood is commonly found in areas where volcanic eruptions occurred millions of years ago. If you stumble across large pieces of petrified wood, it’s a good idea to leave them alone. Petrified wood is incredibly heavy and can easily damage small children when they play with it.

How to tell petrified wood from bone tool?

Bone tools are made from cleaned and hardened animal bones. Petrified wood, on the other hand, is formed by silica-rich plants that grow in swamps and lake beds. The process involves laying the wood under water and over a long period of time, a mineral-rich solution crystallizes to form stone. Petrified wood is generally less dense than bone, making it lighter and easier to work with.

How to tell petrified wood from bone tools?

For petrified wood, you can usually spot the wood itself with the naked eye. However, it can be hard to spot the tool marks. That is because petrified wood is extremely hard and dense, meaning that it can easily break tools. To make sure you don’t break your tools while trying to find petrified wood, use a soft metal pick and probe the ground with it. If you find tool marks in the ground, you’re definitely on the right track.

How to tell petrified wood from bone jewelry?

If you are looking for evidence of early human activity, consider petrified wood as one of the potential sources of artefacts. Petrified wood is often found in riverbeds and lakes where they are deposited by water. Bones from water animals are another source of evidence of early human activity. Bones of freshwater fish, turtles, fish-eating mammals, crocodiles, water birds and other animals are often found in these deposits.