puutumiseksi

Puutumiseksi is a Finnish term that translates to "becoming like wood" or "petrification." It refers to a process where organic matter, such as wood or bone, is gradually replaced by minerals. This often happens when the material is buried in sediment rich in dissolved minerals, typically silica or calcite. Over time, the original organic structure is dissolved, and the mineral molecules precipitate into its place, creating a rock-like replica.

This geological process is the basis for the formation of petrified wood, a common type of fossil. The mineral-rich groundwater seeps into the porous organic material. As the water evaporates or chemical conditions change, the dissolved minerals crystallize within the cell cavities and the spaces between the organic components. This preserves the fine details of the original structure, including growth rings and cellular patterns, in stone. The color of petrified wood depends on the type of minerals present, with iron oxides contributing red and yellow hues, and manganese oxides producing blues and purples.

The term puutumiseksi can also be used metaphorically to describe a state of rigidity, immobility, or lack of emotional response, akin to becoming as stiff and unfeeling as wood. This figurative usage highlights the contrast between the flexibility of living matter and the inertness of a mineralized substance.