Petrified Logs - Ankara, Turkey - Paleontology and Fossils on Waymarking.com

Two petrified logs (one from Soma and second from Osmancali) could be found in front of the Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) General Directorate History of Nature Museum.

Petrified wood (from the Greek root petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone by the process of permineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of the original organic material. The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition. Mineral-laden water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells; as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay, a stone mould forms in its place.
Source and more info: (visit link)

And by the way, even the museum is really interesting for this waymarking category:
"The museum covers an area of 4000 m2 and consists of three storeys. The whole ground floor has been reserved for paleontology. In this section, about 3000 fossil samples are firstly introduced systematically then orderly, consisting of the fauna and flora in the historical geology. From Dinosaurs, an Allosaur fossil casting bought from the U.S.A., a Mastodon fossil casting presented gift of the Natural History Museum of France and the skeleton of the Maras elephant, which has attracted many other Nation's Natural History Museum's admiration as well as requests, were set up in this section. A giant Ammonite fossil, 1.5 metres in diamer and having lived in the vicinity of Ankara about 193 years ago, and a set of footprints presumably belonging to early men who lived in Anatolia 25,000 years before our time, can also be seen on the ground floor. The footprints found in the Manisa Salihli Çakallar hill are the only in the world up till now. The site, with our General Directorate's undertakings and efforts, is now being preserved as an open museum. Fossils such as 10-15 million years old, rich fauna and flora of fishes, frogs, plants and ants are displayed among the well known diatomites of Kizilcahamam, as well as 65-90 million years old Hippurites which indicate a certain climate belt of the upper cretaceous and carry an evolutionary reduction at present, are displayed on the ground floor."
Source: www.kultur.gov.tr/EN,39655/ankara--the-mineral-research-and-exploration-mta-genera-.html

What kinds of fossils are found here: - in front of museum two petrified logs - in museum much more (above in long description) Admission Fee: no Link for more information about this site: [Web Link]

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