National Fossil Wood Park, Tiruvakkarai

The National Fossil Wood Park, Tiruvakkarai is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument located in the Villupuram District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is maintained by the Geological Survey of India. The park was established in 1940 and is located 1 km east of Thiruvakkarai village on the road between Tindivanam and Pondicherry.

Wood fossils
The park contains petrified wood fossils approximately 20 million years old, scattered throughout the park, which covers about 247 acre. The park consists of nine enclaves, but only a small portion of the 247 acres (approx 1 square km) is open to the public. Officials of the GSI believe the fossils were formed during massive flooding that occurred millions of years ago.

The park hosts about 200 fossilized trees. They range in size from 3 to 15 m meters in length, some of which are up to 5 meters in width. They are strewn and partially buried in the park grounds. No branches or leaves remain on the fossilised trunks.

Scientists speculate that the trees did not originally grow at the site, but were transported before they had petrified. M. Sonneret, a European naturalist, gave the first detailed account of the fossils in 1781.

Quality of the fossils
The fossils are well preserved due to extensive petrifaction. The trees' annular rings and pit structures are clearly visible, allowing their age to be determined by counting the rings.