Baltic Amber FACTS and MYTHS
People have been enamored with the incredible magic, mystery and medicinal power of Baltic Amber for more than 5000 years. And because there are always different versions of questions and answers depending on the sources, that is the case with Amber as well. So there are two versions that dominate although neither will yield to the other as final fact - one is based on scientific research and the other on folklore.
There is no question that Baltic Amber is a mineral and organic in nature and belonging to the category of Resins. And scientists took centuries to actually reach a consensus. For example there were researchers who were positive Amber was made of hardened oil. Others maintained that Amber was fossilized honey produced by wild bees. Then there was the theory that Amber was sea-foam that had hardened under the influence of sun beams. And further, others considered Amber to be the core product of forest ants, solidified ''sun ether'', mountain oil, earth mineral fertilizer and - well, you get the idea!
The reality is that Baltic Amber is not only completely different from other semi-precious stones, but it is completely unique in all the world. Consider that Amber comes in a great variety of forms, textures, structures and sizes, Amber comes in an amazing wealth of Amber Colors, Amber has unusual chemical and physical qualities that have dumbfounded researchers. Consider that burns in fire like coal crackling and smoking, it melts when heated, it produces static electricity if rubbed. The Baltic Amber stone is warm and comforting to the touch. And did we mention that you can see different insects inside some amber pieces? Seriously? Absolutely. And although Amber is often found on the sea shore, butterflies and flies never lived in the sea.
*The oldest Amber dates back to 320 million years ago.
*Natural Amber comes in more than 300 different shades! The most common colors are Honey, Cognac, Lemon, Cherry, Green and Butterscotch.
*The ancient Roman rulers valued Baltic Amber so highly that they started wars in order to conquer areas that had large deposits of Amber.
*In ancient China people would burn Amber during big celebrations. Thus a host could demonstrate his wealth and at the same time show respect to their guests.
*Martin Luther wore a piece of natural Amber in his pocket because he believed it could protect him from kidney stones.
*The term ''electricity'' actually stems from the Greek word ''electron'' which is the Greek name for Amber because it can store static electricity.
* Famous Hippocrates (460-377 BC) father of medicine, in his works described medicinal properties and methods of application of Baltic Amber that were later used by scientists.
*Nicolaus Copernicus documented that his formulas for medicine included 22 specific ingredients --- and one of them was Baltic Amber.
*Since ancient times Baltic Amber has been used in making Amber Jewelry for Healing.
*Insects, spiders and their webs, annelids, crustaceans, bacteria and amoebae, marine microfossils, wood, flowers and fruit, hair, feathers and other small organisms have been recovered in Ambers dating to 130 million years ago.
*Because of the small insects who could have been trapped inside, Amber has helped paleontologists to reconstruct life on earth in its primal phases, and more than 1,000 extinct species of insects have been identified this way.
* The presence of Insects in Baltic Amber was noticed by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia and led him to the (correct) theory that at some point, amber had to be in a liquid state to cover the bodies of insects.
So in reality scientists stayed the course of gathering evidence to declare the truth while people throughout history were quick to attribute the wonders of Natural Baltic Amber to the supernatural. Maybe there's more to the story? Only time will tell!
Our very best regards and if you have any questions please let us know.
Sincerely
Amber Artisans
About The Author
As a small business, both in our town and in the world, we are extremely focused on every customer. Quality is our #1 priority so that everyone who buys from us has a very successful and personal experience. We are working with natural genuine Baltic Amber and our craft is something we infuse in every sale we make. We want our customers to know how very important they are to us and that we care about every aspect of what we do. Amber is very personal to us. It's the treasure of our country. And it's the most powerful homeopathic remedy that we can give to each and every person who reaches out to us.
Please Note: Amber Artisans does not dispense medical advice.