Amber

Amber is fossilized tree resin. It has been appreciated for its beautiful orange, brown, and sometimes red color since the Neolithic times. People have used amber as a gemstone since classical antiquity, and it is often made into jewelry.

Amber is also used in folk medicine as a healing agent. Because amber comes from tree resin, it sometimes traps tiny animals and plants inside, called inclusions. These trapped bits give scientists valuable information about ancient plants and insects. There are five different types of amber, based on its chemical makeup, and special names like resinite for amber found in coal seams, and ambrite for amber from New Zealand.

Etymology

The word amber comes from the Arabic word ʿanbar, which originally described a substance called ambergris from sperm whales. Over time, the word was used to describe the golden fossilized tree resin we know as amber today.

Amber has fascinated people for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was linked to myths, such as the story of Phaëton, whose sisters turned into poplar trees and their tears became amber. The ancient Greeks called amber ēlektron, which is why we have words like electric today — amber can hold a static charge.

History

Theophrastus talked about amber a long time ago, in the 4th century BCE. Other ancient writers, like Pytheas, also wrote about it. They described how people in northern Europe found amber on beaches and used it for fuel and trade.

Amber has been treasured for thousands of years. The ancient Romans traded amber from the Baltic region. In China, there are records of amber use dating back to 200 BCE. Later, amber was discovered in places like New Jersey in North America.

Composition

Amber is made from different kinds of tree resin. Over time, these resins change and harden into a stable, beautiful material. It can be dissolved in substances like alcohol and ether, and it contains special compounds that help it form its hardened structure.

Amber usually has a hardness between 2.0 and 2.5, and it can change when heated. Tiny bits of other materials, like tiny bubbles or minerals, can change its color and appearance. Sometimes, these impurities make amber cloudy or give it unusual colors.

Formation

Over time, tree resin can change and become a special material called amber. This happens when the resin is changed by heat and pressure from layers of dirt on top. First, it turns into something called copal, and then, with more time and pressure, it becomes amber. Not all tree resin lasts this long; most of it breaks down because of sunlight, rain, or tiny living things. For resin to become amber, it needs to be strong enough to survive these things or be made in places where they don’t happen very often.

Sometimes, trees make resin in a way that is not normal, and this can also lead to amber forming. In different parts of the world, amber comes from different kinds of trees. In Europe, there are two main types, and in places like the Americas and Africa, it comes from trees related to the modern Hymenaea tree. Baltic amber, found in northern Europe, is thought to come from trees in the Sciadopityaceae family.

Main article: Amber

Extraction and processing

Amber can be found all around the world, mostly in rocks from the Cretaceous period or newer. Historically, the area west of Königsberg in Prussia was the main source of amber. Today, most of the world’s amber comes from Juodkrantė in Lithuania.

Amber can be collected from the seafloor by hand, dredging, or diving. It is also mined from the earth, sometimes in dangerous conditions. Workers clean the amber by removing dirt and crusts. In some places, amber is heated and shaped to make jewelry and other items. Sometimes, small pieces of amber are pressed together to create new products.

Appearance

Amber comes in many beautiful colors, from the common yellow, orange, and brown to rarer shades like red, green, and even blue. Blue amber, which glows under sunlight and ultraviolet light, is especially rare and valuable. Most amber is transparent and can be cut and polished into lovely jewelry. Sometimes, amber keeps the shape of drops or stalactites, showing how it flowed from trees long ago.

Classification

Amber can be sorted into different types based on its chemical makeup. The most common type, called Class I, includes a substance known as succinite, often found in Baltic amber. This type has a special property that releases a distinct smell when burned. Another well-known amber is Dominican amber, which is mostly clear and often contains tiny fossils from ancient plants and insects, helping scientists learn about old tropical forests.

Other classes of amber include types made from different plant resins. Some are based on substances like cadinene, while others are made from polystyrenes or cedrene-based compounds. Each type has its own unique chemical signature, which experts can identify using special testing methods.

Geological record

The oldest amber found so far dates back to the late Carboniferous period, about 323.4 million years ago. Amber is tricky to trace back to its original tree sources because its chemical makeup is most like resin from flowering plants, which didn't appear until much later. Amber becomes more common in the Early Cretaceous period, where it is often found with tiny insects inside.

Some of the most important amber comes from places like Lebanon and Burma (Myanmar). Lebanese amber, which is about 125–135 million years old, helps scientists understand very old ecosystems. Burmese amber, from northern Myanmar, is about 99 million years old and has over 1,300 species of plants and animals preserved inside it. Baltic amber, found along the coasts of Prussia, contains many plants and small creatures that were trapped when the resin was fresh.

Use

Amber has been used since prehistoric times in the making of jewelry and ornaments, and also in folk medicine. People have worn amber as jewelry for thousands of years, dating back to the Stone Age. You can find amber ornaments in ancient tombs across Europe, and today it is still used to make special mouthpieces for smoking and glassblowing. Museums, like the Palanga Amber Museum, celebrate amber’s beautiful and historic value.

For a long time, people have believed that amber could help heal various ailments. Ancient doctors like Hippocrates in Greece used it for many treatments. Even today, some people in Europe wear amber necklaces for children who have stomach pain or teething troubles, though experts caution against this because of safety risks. Amber has also been burned for its pleasant smell, especially in ancient China. While real amber doesn’t smell strongly enough for modern perfumes, people create scents called “amber” to mimic its warm, rich aroma using other natural and synthetic ingredients.

Imitation substances

Some materials can look like amber but are not real amber. Young tree resins, like kauri resin from Agathis australis trees in New Zealand, are often used as imitations. Other natural materials called copals, which are not fully fossilized, come from trees in Africa, Colombia, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

People have also made many plastics to look like amber. These include stained glass, celluloid, and Bakelite. Other imitations are made from polyester, epoxy resins, and polystyrene, among other materials. These substances mimic the look and feel of amber but are created in laboratories and factories.