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Origins of Amber Amber is one of the
organic gemstones, being the time-hardened fossilized resin of pine
trees, the now extinct pinus succinifera, and other trees. This aromatic
resin oozed down the sides of the trees, as well as filling internal
fissures, trapping debris, such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects.
The first stage involved the slow evaporation of volatile oils. The
oils, called turpenes, could take anything from 100 to 1000 years to
fully dissipate. Once completed the resin would become harder and could
then be called copal. Following the dispersal of the oils the next stage
is the cross chain linking of the molecular structure within the copal
which is almost a kind of polymerization. This makes the copal harder
and less brittle.
This second stage may take millions of years before the process turns
the copal into something approaching the structure of amber. As geologic
time progressed the forests were buried and the resin hardened into a
soft, warm, golden gem, known as amber. Hence, Amber is the fossilized
resin of ancient trees which forms through a natural polymerization of
the original organic compounds.
In the Sambia deposit several types of fossil resins (pieces of varying
sizes, the smallest only several millimeters in size, the biggest the
size of an egg, and of varying colors, from blue, greenish, all shades
of brown to tar-like black) with similar qualities are found along
Baltic amber.
Big deposits of fossil resins especially rich
in inclusions have been discovered in the Arctic, North America
(Alaska), Yugor and Taymyr Peninsulas and in the Carpathian region,
especially in Romania. They are opaque, reddish-yellow, dark red, blue,
dark green, fluorescent, and stink of sulphur and petroleum when burnt.
In Sicily and in northern Italy deposits of
dark red and yellow fossil resins of trees of the family Cupressaceae
called Sicilian amber is found. Since the oldest times it has been used
in the manufacture of adornments and Phoenicians knew about its
deposits.
In Europe 50 types of fossil resins of
different age are found.
The oldest known Asian fossil resins (sometimes
pieces have the size of a head) are found in Birma. They are mostly
opaque, dark brown, sometimes - red and yellow and in the 18th century
single beads of these resins were used by Tibetan Buddhists for the
decoration of their rosaries.
Fossilized insects are especially common in
fossil resins found in Mexico, Dominican Island, and Haiti. So-called
Mexican amber is a result of resins of leaf-bearing trees and is widely
used in jewelry.
In Africa in the soil of no longer existing
forests sub fossil resins of leaf-bearing trees are found and locals use
them for making of adornments and amulets.
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Amber and Baltic Amber
Since the ancient times, the word amber meant
only one thing - the Baltic Amber! However, the process of how amber is
formed traced more amber varieties in different parts of the world.
Although more than 125 types of fossil resins are known in the world,
these resins are not amber but its relatives. They are mostly found in
Europe and America...
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Amber Inclusions: Pieces of Ancient History!
The preservation of ancient life in amber has fascinated
civilization through ages and this mystical phenomenon still attracts
people to get to know more about amber and even and hold in hand and
wear - a piece of history that is so ancient. Amber is really an
exquisite preservation of ancient life within its golden tomb. Perhaps
amber was an inspiration for the Pharaohs to build the Great Pyramids?
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more...
History of Amber
Amber has a long history since the ancient times. Most
older and previously discovered amber deposits were in
Europe and you will still see today ho widely amber is
used and cherished in Europe. Amber has been traded
since earliest times and was considered a mystic and
religious material. Over the "amber routes" it was
distributed throughout Europe and to the entire known
ancient world... Read
more...
History of Amber Jewelry
The earliest known use of worked amber beads by man was
between 7,000 and 11,000 BC in Denmark and southern
England. Amber beads have been found in Egyptian tombs
dating to 3,400 BC. It has also been found in Mycenaean
(Greece) tombs. By the Bronze Age (3,000 to 1,000 BC),
there was significant trade of the gemstone throughout
the region of the Baltic Sea. As early as 600 BC...
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more...
Types of Amber
Amber can be classified by number of parameters such as
chemical composition, color and way of formation,
production method. The following classification is by
chemical composition. Amber can be classified based
on chemical composition usually into two fossil resins:
succinite and retinite. Succinite
is the common variety of European amber. Baltic amber or
succinite was once thought to be the only "true" amber
and is the most suitable for jewelry...
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Amber Myths, Lore and Facts
The evidence of amber being a precious substance that
was very much sought after, fought for and cherished
goes back to 3,400 B.C. There have been many lore and
myths about amber and many of them are most prevalent in
Europe today. People believe amber to be...
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Amber in Medicine
History has documented medicinal uses of amber. A lot of
ancient text includes amazing mentions of the positives of amber
treatment. Amber has a unique charm and air of mystery surrounding it.
In nineteenth-century literature we find evidence of amber having been
used as a remedy for virtually all illnesses. The Etruscans prized it as
highly as gold...
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Real vs. Fake Amber
It is important to get to know amber well if you are
seeking one or better yet, depend on a source that is
authentic and reliable. In the middle of the 19th
century, scientists discovered ways to synthesize
natural precious substances. Due to the demand and the
price amber commanded in those days, additional
experiments and efforts to falsify amber picked up
pace...
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Back to All About Amber
Commonly referred to as tree sap, however amber is
anything but sap! The modern name for amber is thought
to come from the Arabic word, amber, meaning ambergris.
In our "All About Amber" page, we have attempted to
provide interesting and useful information...
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Back to 'All About Amber' Summary
Commonly referred to as tree sap, however amber is anything but sap!
The modern name for amber is thought to come from the Arabic word,
amber, meaning ambergris. In our "All About Amber" page, we have
attempted to provide interesting and useful information about what is
amber, where it comes from, the types of amber, amber fossil, how to
tell fake from real amber etc. It is important to know some easy tips to
recognize amber because not getting real amber could make a difference
of few million years! Visit these topics and enjoy reading on...
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Origins of Amber
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