Amber is a unique organic gemstone – the fossilized resin of coniferous trees that millions of years ago covered the areas of today’s northern and central Europe. The exact species of these trees remains unidentified, yet their legacy lives on in the golden, translucent lumps of amber found to this day.
Main Amber Deposits in the World
Amber deposits of industrial importance are located in Russia, Poland, Ukraine and Germany. Baltic amber, Ukrainian amber and Saxon amber all refer to the same mineral – succinite. The age of amber found in Poland is estimated at approximately 40–60 million years.
How Did Amber Form?
Millions of years ago, dense amber-yielding forests produced large quantities of resin. Over time, through numerous physical and chemical transformations, this resin hardened into amber. Carried by streams and rivers, the amber nuggets settled in estuaries, forming deposits – many of which are located in present-day northern Poland.
Amber as a Time Capsule
Lumps of amber often contain remarkable plant and animal inclusions. Plant inclusions include seeds, needles, leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits – allowing researchers to identify over 215 ancient plant species. More than 90% of animal inclusions are insects, with the rest consisting mainly of myriapods and arachnids.
Moments Frozen in Time
Amber preserves not only the appearance of ancient organisms but also snapshots of their lives. Scientists have discovered an ant carrying a larva, a female locust laying eggs, a pair of mosquitoes in copulation, a butterfly emerging from its pupa, and a predatory hemipter feeding on its prey – all frozen in golden resin. Such examples reveal not only what lived in amber forests, but also how these creatures behaved.
Natural Forms of Amber
The shapes of natural amber pieces reflect the damage once sustained by tree trunks, branches or roots. Amber formed inside the trunks is usually opaque, while its transparency and color depend on the number and arrangement of gas bubbles within its structure.
Colors of Baltic Amber
Baltic amber varies in both transparency and color – from light yellow to white, bluish, green, beige and brown. This variety makes amber jewelry exceptionally diverse and unique.
Record-Breaking Amber Specimens
The largest known piece of Baltic amber weighs 9,750 grams. It formed inside the trunk of an amber-producing tree and was shaped during the movement of glaciers. Today, it is displayed at the Museum of Natural History of the Humboldt University in Berlin.
Why is Amber So Valuable?
Amber is more than a beautiful gemstone – it is an invaluable record of life on Earth millions of years ago. As a “crown witness” of our planet’s history, amber has preserved countless relics of plants and animals, offering scientists and admirers alike a glimpse into an ancient world.