GUILT can be a powerful thing. Over the years, these 鈥渞ocks鈥� 鈥� actually chunks of ancient petrified trees 鈥� have proved irresistible to many light-fingered visitors to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Eventually, often decades later, conscience prompts some to return their 鈥渟ouvenirs鈥� anonymously, along with a little note of apology.
It鈥檚 easy to see the temptation. These chunks of organic matter gain a rich, colourful beauty as minerals such as quartz, cobalt, iron and copper fill the pores of the original material over hundreds of millions of years.
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So many pieces have been returned that park rangers have created a conscience pile to store them, as well as displaying some of the 1200-plus letters.
鈥淭he rocks were very appealing,鈥� writes one visitor, 鈥渁nd in a moment of exuberance we took the rock with us as a memento of our trip.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 returning this rock that belongs in the forest,鈥� writes another. 鈥淢y conscience has bothered me ever since I brought it home.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not only guilt that prompts a change of heart. These rocks hold a secret: a curse said to plague anyone who steals them. From car troubles and cat attacks to financial losses and even a plane crash, all have been attributed to the prophecy of the rocks. 鈥淭he final straw was when I stepped thru the ceiling of our new house,鈥� one letter reads.
Photographer Ryan Thompson, who stumbled upon the conscience pile during a trip in 2012, was interested by the 鈥渃ombination of humour and heartbreak in the letters鈥�.
鈥淚 was immediately curious about the attribution of power to an inert mineral,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not difficult to imagine what possesses visitors to pick up a small souvenir, but it鈥檚 a lot more interesting thinking about the reasons for their return.鈥�
And Thompson admits yearning for them too. 鈥淲hen I arrived home after my second trip,鈥� he says, 鈥淚 purchased a few pieces of petrified wood on eBay in an attempt to satisfy the desire.鈥�
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淧etrified with guilt鈥�
