Amber is one of the organic gemstones, being the time-hardened fossilized resin of pine trees, the now extinct Pinus Succinifera, and others. As such it varies from about 20 to 60 million years old. It is light and warm to the touch, and readily produces static electricity when rubbed.
Well preserved specimens of extinct insects and plant material, have been found in amber.
Tumbled stones, hand grinded lumps , necklaces , bracelets, pendants, Christian and Moslem rosaries, carvings, key pendants, letter opener etc are made out of Amber. Amber is used in all types of jewelry. Because it is relatively inexpensive and of light weight, it is often used as large stones in rings, pendants, bracelets and ear-rings, and is often set in silver. Amber is often seen as large beads.
Because of its soft warm feel, it has an uplifting spiritual quality, and makes excellently tactile "worry-beads". Amber is said to help one to be joyful and happy. It lightens the burdens of life. Put amber in water or wine for 1-14 days, and the liquid shall be good against stomach-ache/asthma/ stypic,etc.
Note: If your amber jewel isn`t shining polish it with tooth paste!
Baltic amber is used as gem stone since the Mesolithic Period. In the Baltic region, the ancient Rome and the ancient Greece used Amber for jewellery, for medicine and as a stone for spiritual healing. The Roman poet Plinius was angry about the price of amber , saying that it was costlier than a slave! Amber has been used for decoration since the stone age.Amber with special markings such as the intials of ones name was thought to be a great protective talisman since ancient times.
Baltic amber is found in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, and occasionally washed up on the shores of the Baltic Sea as far away as Denmark, Norway, and England.The largest mine in the Baltic region is in Russia, west of Kaliningrad. Other amber sources include Myanmar , Lebanon, Sicily, Mexico, Romania, Germany, and Canada.There are numerous small deposits of amber in the USA.
