From December 14, 2022 until March 10, 2023 In the Natural History Museum of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, an exhibition entitled "Amber. Polish Treasure" is available to visitors. This exhibition presents a wide range of works using amber in decorative objects and jewellery. It is an opportunity to get to know the works involved in the promotion of the City of Gdańsk as the world capital of amber. […]
Nowadays, we are more and more willing to turn our attention to all forms of healing, especially the natural one. This is not a coincidence, because in the constant rush and overwork, our bodies demand a moment of breath and care for their own well-being. The sciences of herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, naturotherapy, etc. have become popular. The question is - how to relate to this […]
Reconstructed amber is more and more common and arouses more and more interest due to the relatively low price. What is it and how is it created? Does it retain the properties of natural amber? The so-called amber pressing is a process aimed at fusing small pieces of amber (sometimes even amber powder) into larger pieces suitable for jewelry. It mainly uses [...]
Amber is inseparably associated with the Baltic Sea region. However, it turns out that succinite can also be found in areas far away from it. Where did it come from and is it different from that of the Baltic Sea? At the beginning it is necessary to clarify the mechanisms of amber deposits formation. All Baltic amber deposits are secondary deposits, i.e. [...]
The names of precious and semi-precious stones have different origins, often they result from the characteristics of a given stone. Terminological complexities are also associated with our national treasure - Baltic amber. The name succinite comes from the Latin word succinum meaning juice [1]. The first mention of this name appeared in the work of Pliny the Elder written in the first century BC "Natural History". "Our ancestors also believed that amber is a wood juice (from Latin sucus), calling it for this reason [...]
Admiring the Baltic amber jewelry, we are often surprised by the unusual color, the degree of transparency or the shimmering glitters refracting the light. Where do the mysterious "scales" make amber such a luminous stone come from? The history of extracting the natural beauty of Baltic amber is very long. Already in the 17th century, methods for clarifying amber were known by prolonged heating of nuggets in linseed oil, which filled the pores in succinnas making it more transparent. Heating of amber wrapped in paper in [...] was also popular
It is well known that Baltic amber comes in a wide range of colors. Dairy, yellow, orange or cognac or greenish colors are no longer a surprise. However, blue is still controversial. Ambiguous colors, light figures and flickering effects of stones arouse admiration, sometimes in combination with suspicions. Where does this rainbow opal play come from? Why labradorites and moonstones hypnotize [...]
The word kopal comes from the word copalli, which in Nahuatl means 'incense'. This fragrant stone has fascinated people with its resinous smell and unusual appearance since the beginning of time. Nowadays, it is often compared with Baltic amber, due to its similar appearance, despite its different properties. Are these resins more divided, or maybe they have more in common than [...]
Sunny stone - Baltic amber - is invariably associated with holiday trips to the sea, searching for golden particles on the beach in hot sand in the company of the sound of waves and the screams of seagulls. However, there are other methods of extracting this valuable resource, more about them below! Already in the 16th century in the work of M. Kromer "Poland, or about the situation, population, customs ..." [...]
Juicy red Baltic ambers have not been impressed with their clarity and saturated color for a long time. Some people think of rubies, others like pomegranates - one thing is certain: jewelry with cherry amber looks extremely elegant. But why are they red? You will find the answer later in the article! The richness of colorful varieties and degrees of transparency of natural succinite make each of the nuggets different [...]
Inclusions in Baltic amber have always been treated in a special way. They are currently sought after, admired and appreciated. They are also the subject of scientific research. They should be treated with due respect because they conceal the "life" of many millions of years ago. To start with, let's start by explaining what inclusions in Baltic amber are really? So the inclusion in amber is called [...]
Amber is one of the oldest and most popular materials used in jewelry, what is more it is the first decorative mineral used on a mass scale in history. He was known in ancient times, being a trade object for most Europeans living at that time. The transport of amber at that time ran through much of Europe, the so-called "amber trail". Amber is an element of Polish culture, as evidenced by [...]
Time and health are two precious treasures that we do not recognize and appreciate until they run out. Walter Disney Amber is an extraordinary resin mineral, which, apart from its indisputable aesthetic properties, has been the subject of interest of health specialists, aesthetic medicine and cosmetologists for years. To go back to the beginnings of the analysis of amber and medicine, one should go back to antiquity, [...]
Amber is a source of many secrets and curiosities that hide the history of our planet, which is why there are many myths and stereotypes surrounding this mineral. Particular interest in the ore is due not only to its history, but also to its unique appearance. It has fascinated collectors for centuries and pleases the eyes of enthusiasts around the world. Amber color - but what color is it? I often hear that [...]
Indians, Columbus, Caribbean, mountains, donkey transport and Jurassic Park. It all sounds like a beautiful adventure trip. The history of Dominican amber, one of the most beautiful and the most interesting fossil resin, takes you on this amazing journey and adventure. Dominican amber is derived from deciduous trees and contains from 0 to 3% of succinic acid, so much less [...]
Amber is the first decorative stone ever used on a mass scale. He was known among others to ancient Greeks, Romans or Egyptians. He even reached the Arabian Peninsula and the Far East civilization. From the beginning, he also accompanied cultures inhabiting the Baltic territories, which is why he is strongly embedded in the European, and above all Polish jewelery tradition. (Brochure Baltic Amber [...]
Amber has been an inspiration since the earliest times. In the Paleolithic, it was used to create all kinds of decorations, including amulets and artifacts. In the ancient world, he appeared in legends, local stories, and during religious rites. Thanks to its charm, it has been a source of jewelry inspiration for over 3,000 years, and Poland is currently the world leader in production [...]
Effective and non-invasive identification of Baltic amber is possible. Infrared spectrometry is the most commonly used spectroscopic method of analyzing Baltic amber (succinite) and other natural and artificial resins, often constituting the basis for their identification. The use of this method in the study of fossil resins began in 1963-1964 in three research centers: in Germany, the USA and Russia. In Poland, for the beginning [...]
Discover the traces of life from 40 million years ago preserved in Baltic amber. Inclusion in Baltic amber is everything that got into it naturally, when the resin flowed from the trees. They are mainly plants and animals that lived in the amber forest, but they can also be air bubbles, water, dust, sand or [...]
The most famous work of art in the field of amber. One of the most famous and mysterious works of art of all time created from amber is - the Amber Room. The construction of the chamber began in 1701. Initially, it was located in the palace in Chalottenburg, the seat of Friedrich I, the first king of Prussia. Designed by German Baroque sculptor Andreas Schlüter, and created by Gottfried Wolfram, [...]
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