AMBER. Polish fossil with healing properties and a sweet smell.
I will welcome you with a surprise. Amber has a scent. Have you ever smelled it? It is sweet, gentle and there is no way to compare it with anything else. Let me tell you a secret…
In contact with jewelry I am a very touchy magpie. Even in a museum I can’t keep my hands in pockets and leave traces of my fingers on every single glass case. That’s why I am wondering what contact with amber YOU had. Was it limited to running your fingers through a bundle of pendants on a stall in the summer? Or maybe you’ve become the amber Hasselhoff, saving the lumps from being sucked by a vacuum cleaner? I asked several friends between 15 and 75 years of age about what they associate with amber. Don’t worry, I didn’t need a sheet of paper to write them down. They came up with many, but the most frequent were: embedded bug, sea, tourist, grandma coming back from sanatorium and poor design. Blimey! We need to demystify such image of amber! It is like with the foreign stars, who asked about their associations with Poland tell about polar bear and winter. So read on and broaden your knowledge.
What will you learn about?
I decided to create for you a series of articles on gemstones. Heeeey, but remember that amber is not a stone, but a fossil – conifer resin. Each post will be interspersed with fantastic illustrations by Ela Gądek. At the end I have a surprise for you. Shall we begin?
Practical knowledge
The name amber derives from Arabic word ambar. It is a fossilized, hardened resin of amber pine (Pinus succinifera), which originated over 50 million years ago. The whole world strongly associates it with Poland. In many books and articles you can read that it is a “living stone”. This is because it undergoes hardening processes, which causes our amber to darken and gain depth and distinctness.
Glossary:
Baltic amber (succinite), called “Northern gold”, is the first “gemstone” known to humanity.
Inclusion is the remnants of living creatures (from 50 million years ago): flies, spiders, ants, or reptiles embedded in amber
Amber – very Polish! Interesting facts.
- Amber room is the famous work of amber. Called the eighth wonder of the world, the room, or rather a study, was commissioned by Frederick I at the Copenhagen masters (although some claim those were Gdansk masters). Its construction took 11 years and its walls were faced with amber reliefs. Apparently not everyone could stay inside. Such an amount of reflected light caused confusion of the senses at some. Unfortunately, it was either lost or burned. If you want to know more, here is a cool site (in Polish). I will only add that a replica of the Amber Room is currently in Grand Palace in St. Petersburg.
- Museums: Gdansk History Museum, Kaliningrad Regional Amber Museum, Malbork Castle, Gdynia Museum of Amber Inclusions, Stagna Museum of amber. Do you recommend any other places? Let us know in the comments. We will then be able to add them to the article.
- Healing properties. Do you believe in the abilities of natural medicine? I know you’re super-attentive reader, so you read on. Amber, in particular raw and unpolished, prevents migraine and calms down. It contains many beneficial substances for the body. Its composition include silicon, magnesium, iron and calcium. A popular use of amber is wearing jewelry for the sake of the thyroid gland. It also helps in diseases of the endocrine, respiratory and digestive systems.
- Amber tincture. Despite being bitter like hell, it has healing properties. You can do it yourself or buy in herbs shop or at amber master’s. It is irreplaceable in autumn and winter period. By consuming it preventively you are protecting yourself from cold and flu. Tincture also alleviates migraine headaches when it’s massaged in temples, and added a few drops added to the tea prevent from asthma.
- Amber under the bed. Natural medicine experts claim that every person is surrounded with electromagnetic field, which is positively charged due to stressful situations. Amber, which contains only negative ions, balances the loads in the organism and helps fight depression and fatigue. Apparently, thanks to lumps of amber laid under the pillow it is easier to fall asleep.
- Where to buy amber? Preferably in Gdansk. Take a walk along the beautiful Mariacka Street. You will find there many shops and stalls with traditional amber jewelry.
- Amber Fairs in Poland: Amberif, Ambermart
- Excavating without permit. Amber fishers set off to the beach before dawn or right after the storm with insulated wellington boots, seaweed nets or a stick and strong flashlight. One needs to remember that excavating amber without a required license or approved geological works plan is an offense under Art. 176 of the Geological and Mining Law, which carries a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment.
- Value. Amber prices aren’t low. A kilogram of a high quality resource costs from 2 to 3,5 thousand euro. The ones with a fly or other bugs are more expensive.
Promised surprise
I am glad you have read the article and are gaining practical knowledge. I also have a reward for you. It is a poster designed by illustrator Ela Gądek and signed with our logo – the first in your collection. You will receive it if you click HERE in 48 hours!. With this click you subscribe to our magpie newsletter. We will be able to send you many cool and useful things.
What will it be? Click and we’re in touch!.
We would like to thank Ela Gądek for the beautiful illustrations for the article.
You can find her works here: http://elagadek.com