Amber comes from an old resin produced by certain species of trees, which was undergoing a number of changes over millions of years. The result of this process was a metamorphosis that generated a gem with extraordinary properties. The amber thus consists in a fossil classified as, but not mineralized semi-precious stone due to their ornamental use. Being a resin is not cold to the touch, like other semi-precious stones.
It’s trunk or branches, areas of cut or crevices, you can see the resin out slowly from the bark of the tree, forming drops, until it finally falls and mix with the sediment. After hardening and suffer fossilization processes over thousands of years, these resins become what we call amber.
The resin consists of various liquids, oils, acids and alcohols, as well as aromatic substances, components of a mixture essentially constituted by carbon, oxygen and hydrogen elements. The resin protects the trees from diseases as it has antiseptic properties and its viscosity holding insects, preventing pierce the bark of trees.
One of the most appreciated features is the presence of amber inclusions of small animals such as insects (the vast majority), spiders, grubs, ants, lizards, among others, and plant debris (leaves, seeds, etc..), which often contains.
Amber is also known as “Baltic gold” because of its beauty, color and preciousness from the peoples of antiquity.
The Baltic amber is naturally transported by sea and after some time (at 50yrs), its exposure to salt water or air causes oxidation of the surface, acquiring a dark orange or red tone.
Since prehistoric times, the regions bathed by the Baltic Sea, such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, are the main source of amber. It is believed that this material has been used since the Stone Age. Objects of Baltic origin have also been found in Egyptian tombs dating 3200 BC
Natural Baltic amber releases on dry distillation succinic acid. Unlike other similar other regions of the world is precisely the amount emanating from succinic acid. Other resins often called fossil amber said acid containing no or only a very small proportion. It was for this reason that Professor JD Dana proposed the name succinite only for Baltic amber.
Hence Amber, since ancient times, be considered an ornament with powerful therapeutic properties. To be in contact with the skin, releasing properties of succinic acid, natural painkiller used for centuries in Europe for dental pain, general pain and migraines. Its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties has been greatly appreciated, especially for babies, reducing the natural way, without the use of drugs or chemicals, pain and inflammation resulting from the breakup of the first teeth.
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