Amber Often regarded as a gem, Amber is actually the sap from ancient trees that has fossilized over many years into a hard resin.
Amber has a long and fascinating history and has been found in all corners of the world. Pharaoh Tutankhamun was found buried with Pieces of Baltic Amber. Amber dating from 900 BC has been found in Mesopotamia. In medieval items, Amber was said to be carried as an amulet of protections by travelers.
Amber is thought to be first used for medicinal uses. Amber was often ground into a powder and then mixed with wine to provide relief from croup, fever, and asthma, and was also used for treating ear infections.
Philosophers and alchemists have long theorized on the origins of Amber. The ancient Greeks were said to believe that the sun created Amber and placed a high value on it. The Greek physician, Hypocrites, who taught about the healing powers of nature, believed that Amber helped to cure many diseases. In the sixth century BC, the Greek scholar, Thales of Miletus, who is considered the founder of Greek science, mathematics, and philosophy, was said to discover its electrostatic properties. He observed that when a piece of amber was rubbed with wool, it would attract light objects such as dust, seeds or pieces of straw. We now know this as static electricity. The Greek word for Amber was elektron, from which the word electricity originates.
In ancient Rome, it was believed that Amber was created from Lynx urine. The price of amber was very high, and only the wealthy Romans could afford it. A tiny piece of amber was said to be worth more than a healthy slave. It's been recorded that Emperor Nero directed soldiers to invade and occupy any area producing Amber and that his wife, Empress Poppaea, made amber so popular that women dyed their hair to match its color.
1st century Roman author and scientist, Pliny the Elder, is said to be one of the first to accurately depict the origin of Amber and wrote of its general healing qualities. He believed that amber had a soothing effect on babies and that wearing Amber around the neck would protect against diseases of the throat such as goiter and tonsillitis. Amber was often ground into a powder and mixed with wine and when consumed was believed to provided relief from croup, asthma, fever, and tonsillitis.
The Chinese always had a fascination with amber, with the earliest written references going back to A.D. 92. The original Chinese term for Amber was "Soul of the Tiger" and they believed that upon a tiger's death, its spirit entered the earth and became Amber.
The oldest known Asian fossil resins are reported to be found in Birma and in the 18th century beads made of these resins were used by Tibetan Buddhists to decorate their rosaries. The Tibetans have a beautiful name for this gem, pshe, which means perfumed crystal.
Color: Most commonly found in yellow, Amber ranges in color near white, through all shades of yellow, brown and red and can even be found in blue and green.
Traditional Birthstone: N/A
Zodiac or Magical Birthstone: Amber works well with Leo, Virgo and Capricorn.
Signification: Amber is said to promote good health, love, power and luck. Its energies assist in grounding, calming and stabilizing the nervous system