Amber Data Vessel International - 2006

What is Amber?

Amber jewelry is a treasure to own and Vessel International is the premier wholesale amber source for the reputable trade. Amber is one of the few gems not of mineral origin (others are ivory, pearls, etc.). This highly-prized fossil resin was exuded by coniferous trees 40-60 MILLION years ago in the area of the Baltic Sea, and sometimes the dripping resin trapped insects, leaves, bark and other things we now call inclusions. Baltic Amber is also referred to as succinite.

Natural Baltic Amber is a living stone. The processes of vaporization, polymerization, isopolymerisation, and oxidation, which caused the once liquid resin to harden so much that it can be ground and polished, have not yet ended. Probably this constitutes the beauty and healing effect of the stone.

Amber has had over the centuries a very important place in culture and art. To quote the Odyssey of Homer, "A man came to our house with a golden necklace intertwined with amber. All the girls and respectable mothers held it and touched it, unable to take their eyes off it, and tried to bargain for a good price." Moreover, Stone Age sun worshippers, and early Greeks and Romans valued amber not only for its beauty, but also believed that wearing a piece of amber brought good luck and kept one healthy and young while protecting against illness and curing colds. In addition to its intrinsic lucky value, it is often used to fashion objects of jewelry such as scarabs, ladybugs and dragonflies that bring the owner another powerful lucky influence.

The varied specimens can be opaque, transparent or translucent and come in many colors; the most popular in contemporary fashion jewelry today include honey, citrine, green, cherry, and cognac.

Amber in Therapeutics & History

One day Phaeton, the son of Helios, the God of the Sun, managed to convince his father to allow him to drive his horse-drawn sun chariot down the firmament. The father agreed, but as soon as the horses felt that the charioteer was inexperienced, they bolted. The sun burnt the African land to ashes, tanning its inhabitants black. So as to prevent further damage, Zeus was forced to strike Phaeton with lightning into the river Eridanus (Po). Phaeton’s sisters, the Heliades, lamented his fate, cursing the gods. They kept crying, and their tears became resin, which turned into amber. Years later, the sea is still throwing the sisters’ amber tears to the shore.

The existence of several thousand-year-old amber amulets is evidence that people believed in the power of the stone since the earliest prehistoric times. Amber was also used as a foundation stone, to ensure health and good luck for inhabitants of a dwelling.

This faith in the effectiveness and power of amber continues today. As in ages ago, amber is still perceived as an exceptional stone. It smells nice when warmed in your hand, gives out a resinous scent and aromatic smoke when burnt, electrifies and attracts small pieces of paper when rubbed, sinks in fresh water, but floats on the surface in saltwater, and may contain inclusions (traces of life dating back to 60 million years ago).

But the most fascinating is perhaps ambers unequalled color diversity. The uniqueness of amber also results from the visual properties of the raw stone. Forms created by nature are interesting: drops, icicles and nuggets with a natural opening were used as the first amulets. They were hung on a leather thong for protection or as a decoration. Then there were figurines of animals, birds and fish, which were to guarantee successful hunting or fishing. People believed that just as amber attracts dry glass blades, amulets attracted luck and happiness and had a special power to ward off evil.

Various amber amulets, such as amber hearts, crosses, and elephants with a raised trunk or figurines of Buddha are used even today. Necklaces are also a type of an amulet. In many Polish areas we may come across amber “pajaki” and “kierece”, which decorate people’s houses. “Kierece” are connected with the cult of the sun. Owing to its special magnetic properties, amber holds a deep interest for people.

The first records concerning amber use as medicine date back to antiquity. Initially medicines were made only from ingredients available in the natural environment: plants, animals and minerals It was also believed that the more ingredients a medicine contained, the better the final results. An original formula by Nicolaus Copernicus, kept in Sweden, specifies 22 ingredients, including amber.

Albert the Great (1193-1280), a Dominican and a philosopher, identifies amber as the first among the six most effective medicines; succinum, ocastoreum, mors, camphor, tartarus, and aurum. Tinctures originating from the same period were based on beer, wine or water and were effective cures for stomach and rheumatic aches. There are no records even vaguely suggesting any undesirable or harmful effect of amber.

In the middle Ages plagues swarmed across towns, taking a heavy toll of the inhabitants. Fumigation with the smoke of burning amber was recommended as an effective preventive measure. As recorded by Matthaus Praetorius, “During the plague not a single amberman from Gdansk, Klaipeda, Konigsberg or Liepaja died of the disease” (1680). Amber smoke is often used in aromatherapy today.

Amber was for centuries perceived as a bactericidal agent hence amber baby teethers, spoons, cigarette holders and pipe mouthpieces. There are also 17th century tea containers made from amber.

Recent scientific research also proves that succinic acid has a very positive influence on the human organism. It strengthens the body, improves immunity, energy-related processes and the balance of acids. Succinic acid was analyzed (1886) by the pioneer of modern bacteriology, Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch, who confirmed its positive influence discovering that there is no risk of the accumulation of surplus amounts of succinic acid in the human organism, even after the introduction of considerable amounts into the body.

In present-day time many effective medicines containing succinic acid have been manufactured and patented, especially in the USA and Russia. Of particular value are pharmaceuticals preventing the aging of human cells, which use succinic acid as an inhibitor and antioxidant. Therefore, the acid may be called a scientifically described, modern elixir of youth. Succinic acid is also a valuable product for sportspeople. It is not a stimulant improving one’s effort on a single event basis, but rather a stimulator of balanced, comprehensive development. Succinic acid is found in many contemporary plants and is a common and indispensable food ingredient. However, deficiencies of succinic acid are frequent as it is rarely found in nature today. Even unripe gooseberries and rhubarb stalks, which are the richest in the acid, contain a thousand times less of the acid than in Baltic amber- succinite. Surprisingly, succinic acid is not found in other fossil resins similar to amber. Succinic acid, acquired by dry distillation in the form of crystals, easily dissolves in warm water and may be used as a food additive. Succinates are very effective after long-lasting illnesses and severe injuries. They make it possible for a patient to regain immunity to disease as well as intellectual fitness and the ability to concentrate.

The Russians promote succinic acid as an important anti-alcohol medicine reducing the desire for alcohol. What is even more interesting, it quickly eliminates the effects of excessive alcohol consumption. A 0.1 gram pill brings back the ability to work within a quarter of an hour.

All cultivated plants react in an excellent way to even very small amounts of a solution of succinic acid; vegetable crops increase to 40%, while the plant growth rate is much faster than usual. Shoots and leaves of plants become resistant to fungal and bacterial diseases.

Amber oil is another universal medicine recognized as very effective, especially for all rheumatic diseases. Amber oil permeates the skin very fast, penetrating deep into the tissue and exerting a positive influence leading to the introduction of the majority of negative ions. It improves blood circulation and eases muscle pains.

Following the influence of Oriental medicine, amber is used for massage. In this case its considerable bactericidal and electrostatic properties play the most beneficial role.

Current research shows that the micronization of amber improves its assimilation by the stress-weakened organism of contemporary mankind. The unfavorable environmental conditions prevailing today block the natural flow of energy-related processes in cells. This is confirmed by research carried out by a Kaliningrad-based doctor, Nikolai Moshkov (2002). He obtained fast and fully effective therapeutic results by rubbing very fine powder form pure energizing amber into the ill places (head, spine, thyroid gland, chest, limbs). One may get the most visible results by applying amber powder to the skin on the face.

We are surrounded by all sorts of electrical devices: radios, television sets, microwave ovens, hair-driers, shavers, computers and mobile phones, which affect our bodies. Modern research proves that wearing protective amber jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings or pendants, or carrying a raw amber figurine or nugget in our pocket is beneficial. When warming up, amber changes ionization, positively influencing our frame of mind and rebuilding the disturbed electrostatic field. We will be happy and full of energy once again, and we will attract luck.

Amber is trying to communicate with us, but we are still unable to understand and discover all its secrets. We do not even know which tree produced this fantastic resin millions of years ago. Current research confirms what people have felt and believed about amber for centuries. There is magical power in the Baltic amber (succinite). It is an exclusively good power, worth getting familiar with for our protection.

Vessel International Inc. blf  May 2006

Museum Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10 to 5
Thursdays 10 am to  8pm 
Closed Major Holidays
Library Hours: Monday - Friday 9 to 4:30

Admission: $7 Adults; $5 Students & Seniors; Children 3 and under are FREE!

© The Bakken Updated: April 6, 2007