Amber & Jewellery

AMBER ORIGINS

The history of amber is still filled with secrets. Several facts related to the origins of amber still have not been clarified. Let us start from the very beginning. Baltic amber, or succinite, is fossil resin that can be dated back to 37-42 million year ago. Since then the processes of hardening and weathering affected amber giving it its exceptional charm. It is still not certain what kind of trees produced this specific type of resin. It has not been explained why those trees produced resin in such amounts either.

In ancient times the common belief was that amber giving trees were willows (or poplars) from the myth of Faeton, according to other sources those trees were cedars or pines. It was the German botanists research in the 19th century that proved that the origin of amber giving trees was given by so called amber pines (Pinus succinifera.) The name refers to probably several not completely identified species. Amber originated from sub tropical climate in which, as commonly known, pines do not grow. Therefore the suspision arised that the first amber giving plant was a tree related to acacia.

As regards the resin production of above mentioned trees there are several assumptions. It could have been caused by sudden climate warming, volcanic processes, tree diseases or pests presence. It could have also been a natural procces in their life cycle.

During the period of amber creation in the area of where present Scandinavia is located there was a land called Fenno-Sarmatia. The land of present Europe was covered by the waters of Thetys Sea. From Fenno-Sarmatia resin was transported through the Eridan river and deposited in its delta – the present Gdansk Bay. It is exactly in this area where the biggest resources of amber are located. Those amber deposits where uncovered and rinsed by the rivers going under iceberg about 1 million years ago. Fenno-Sarmatia area was covered by Eocen amber forest. Amber forest was mixed, it consisted of most probably pine and oak trees with the dominant appearance of Pinus succinifera. Some places were inhabited by magnolias, thujas and cinnamon trees. Cypress trees, moss and fern were also numerous. The undergrowth of amber forest was probably saturated with water, otherwise liquid resin flowing down the tree would soak into the ground