The stones: Amber

The stones: Amber

Amber is a fossil resin mainly produced by the release of liquid substances from plants and trees, spontaneously or following cuts or pathogens. These liquid substances in practice have the function of helping the plant to treat its wounds or protect it from insects that are attacking it. During the fossilization it is also possible that some insects or small parts of plants remain trapped in the Amber.

The process of fossilization that takes place in Amber, also known as "Amberization", is used by archaeologists to study the characteristics of the microorganisms that have been found trapped in Amber.

The main countries of extraction are: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Sweden or mainly on the Baltic Sea area. This is because millions of years makes the coniferous trees that grew in these regions due to a climate change, they released a lot of resin all at the same time. Subsequently, the glacier which is formed in the area scalded and moved the rocks.

Mainly the Amber is found inside sedimentary rocks that is formed by the erosion of water or ice on rocks existing in the marine environment.

Amber has a partially transparent appearance, is it allows us to see through it. Its colour is due to the amount of air contained within it, it can go from yellow to red, including all the intermediate shades, and it is also possible to meet green amber even if it is much rarer.

Jewels were found in Amber in the tombs of Ancient Egypt. There are also references to Amber also in Greek mythology when it is narrated the killing of the son of Apollo (god of the Sun) after which his sisters became poplars who cried tears that turned into Amber.

In the Nordic traditions, however, Amber is derived from the sea.

Amber is well known for its electrostatic properties, if rubbed with a cloth it is electrified. It is thought to help drive away headaches and nightmares.

It is also used for the manufacture of some medicines.

It is attributed a calming effect, it is in fact used a lot on children during teething. To achieve the effect, the Amber must simply be in contact with the skin.

The Turks use it in the manufacture of "narghile", their traditional pipe, when they claim that the mouthpiece of Ambar prevents the spread of infections as sterile.

A little trick to be able to know if what you have before you is natural Amber is the particular aromatic smell that Ambar emanates from being burned, hardly reproducible in its imitations. Unfortunately, this evidence irreparably damages the object in question.

Another advice that we would like to give you is to consider that Amber with animal or vegetable encrustations is extremely rare and furthermore the ordered placement of the insect inside the Amber tends to be artificial. Be wary of such objects too perfect.

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