Relatives Throughout the World

Since the oldest times word "amber" had only one meaning - the Baltic amber. However the processes that influenced the formation of amber have left their traces in different parts of the globe because they had an effect on not only resins of coniferous trees, but also on resins of leaf-bearing trees and even leguminous plants. Although 150 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 and each of them has its own name. 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 colours, 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 new 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 jewellery. 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.