1. Amber history

I'm sure many of you have heard various stories about amber or have probably already worn a piece of jewellery or had an object containing amber around you.

The information we have today about amber has been analysed and debated by experts and scientists throughout history. There are numerous hypotheses about the appearance of amber, some scientifically proven, others based on collective imagination. What we do know about amber is that it was formed by the fossilisation of conifer resin and is considered a natural, organic semi-precious stone.

Generally, amber stones also contain plants or insects that were preserved in the substance secreted by the conifer millions of years ago. This has also piqued the curiosity of specialists, prompting them to take a closer look at the preservation of various living things in resin. According to a 2014 study by entomologist Conrad Labandeira, the substance secreted by coniferous plants is very sticky, and the organisms most prone to preservation in resin are micro-organisms, plants, arthropods and even small vertebrates. There are species of spiders that spin their webs on trees and their prey, the small vertebrates, become embedded in the resin of the trees, which over time turns into amber. Likewise, small flying insects or wind-blown plants are also prone to being caught and preserved in the resin trap.

Amber stones have been used since ancient times to make jewellery, talismans, decorative and cult objects. Because of its vibrant hues, as well as the benefits it is believed to have on mental and physical health, amber manages to remain a highly valued semi-precious stone today.

Even though it is an organic semi-precious stone, amber does not have native mineral properties like diamond. Unlike amber, diamond is a much harder gemstone. Amber, on the other hand, is a fairly brittle stone with low hardness and is very easy to carve into various shapes.

Moreover, amber can be soluble in alcohol, which ancient people discovered in an attempt to create a drink to combat various ailments. The miracle drink contained mainly amber powder and alcohol. They also mixed oil and honey with amber powder to purify the body or treat certain ailments.

Nowadays, amber can be found all over the world, and in our country, a source of amber is located in the commune of Colți in Buzău county. When amber was discovered in this place, the villagers thought it was incense, but after long research, the mineralogist Gheorghe Munteanu Murgoci discovered in 1902 that it was, in fact, pure amber.

Thousands of years ago, when science and technology were not as developed as they are in modern societies, and information about amber was very scarce, people tried to explain the origin of amber by creating myths and legends.