Amber - the beautiful gem from the Baltic Sea
Amber is a general term for viscous, refractory mineral resins, which have lost the most part of the volatile components giving in well to manual processing.
The amber as a gem is well known to the mankind for many thousand years: The raw pieces of amber were found in caves of prehistoric man in Spain, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania etc. However, the findings in Neolithic excavations are most often.
The Baltic amber used to be a decoration in the crown of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun; so, it is one of the very first jewels mentioned in the history. You can find the notes about amber in Homer's "Odysseus" (by the way, there, the amber is the only semiprecious stone mentioned). Roman historian Tacitius informs that amber was brought "from the country of Germans"; amber was traded by Phoenician merchants calling it "sahal" (drops of resin). Several tribes used the amber as currency.
At Nero times in Ancient Rome an amber style already dominated. Different subjects of luxury were being carved of amber. Roman tyrant used to send many merchants to North after the Baltic amber; it was appreciated highly not only for the beauty, but also because of its curative and security properties. Emperor himself preferred the black amber to all ambers. On words of Plinius, the relatively small amber figure might cost more than good able-bodied slave. Rich Rome citizens always kept amber balls with them, assuming that amber strengthens them. In China and Japan the cherry colored amber was highly esteemed. Such amber reminding the blood of Dragoon was due attribute of Emperor family.
The color and transparency were the measure of amber's cost. In ancient Rome, the white and waxen amber used for aroma and fragrance fuming. The highly appreciated hues were reddish transparent. Earlier middle ages appreciated the two versions of amber: boiled thoroughly in honey and transparent with golden tint. In the countries of East the ambers, which are transparent - yellow with greenish hue and milky white with cloud pattern were highly quoted. The ambers with the insect inclusions had the special commodity value. Earlier Medieval Phoenician merchants could pay to you 120 items of sword and 60 items of dagger for amber containing a fly. In the beginning of 19th century such ambers were especially fashionable in France and Russia.
Amber Myth
There is a nice myth in the Ovidius "Metamorphosis's" telling about the Phaeton son of Helios, and nymph Climena. When Phaeton ("the shining one") finally learned who his father was, he went east to meet him. He induced his father to allow him to drive the chariot of the sun across the heavens for one day. The horses, feeling their reins held by a weaker hand, ran wildly out of their course and came close to the earth, threatening to burn it. Horrible heat burnt the Earth; all rivers from Don to Rhine were dried, wood fires covered the Earth, big deserts had appeared, mountain pikes had broken up. Zeus noticed the danger and with a thunderbolt, he destroyed Phaeton. He fell down into the legendary river Eridanus where he was found by the river nymphs and daughters of Helios who mourned him and buried him. Mother and sisters of Phaeton mourning a lot had turned into trees and their tears continue falling down from their branches into the river. The tears of these nymphs turned into amber. For the Ethiopians however it was already too late: they were scorched by the heat and their skins had turned black. As the amber is a petrified tears of Heliads, daughters of Sun, so that is why this mineral is so transparent, warm and light, and has a heavenly scent when burnt.
Amber Meaning
Amber is a stone of health and fitness, stone of happiness and sun, amorous amulet, capable to attract to you the item of your love. On the psychological influence, the orange (amber) color is exciting and effusive, merry and invigorating, vigorous and hot, but not sexy. In the pre-Christian period, our ancestors thought that in the little caves in the amber the spirits and demons used to live that is why such amber pieces were valued much. The amber talismans in the form of ram head or seashells were very popular in the ancient Italy as guarantee of fertilities and ingenious hunt. Particularly popular were amber forms as fruits, cereals and bestial, as a New Year gift. Amber enjoyed great demand in Middle Ages as amber rosary beads and other subjects of religious cult; Patriarch Nikon had amber crosier. Ancient Greeks used to make gift made of amber to wish somebody happiness. This stone - is a victory carrier; it brings you victory in battle, so big part of amber items found in excavations are warrior's amulets.
Curative Properties of Amber
Deep antiquity proclaimed the amber as a panacea to all diseases; the connoisseurs especially appreciated the medical white amber. They thought that practically there are no such illnesses, to which this semiprecious stone would not bring a recovery. It treats myopia and cataract, cardiac illnesses and angina, stops a vomiting, expels stones from kidneys and liver and promotes an emiction. So, Martin Luther constantly kept in a pocket a piece of amber to prevent formation of stones in kidneys. The amber strengthened internal human organs, and having been drunk as a powder with water, treated illnesses of a stomach; amber powder mixed with rose oil or honey helped at illnesses of eyes and ears, treated fractures on feet. With the help of amber, ostensibly it is possible to find out a poison in a glass: in a case of poison, there is an iridescent fibrillation of sparks accompanied with a cracking sound. The amber was used at syncopes, against giddinesses and bleedings, pyeses and tumours, strong tussis, cramps, hysterias and hypochondria, treated and prevented series of female and catarrhal diseases, strengthened getting loose teeth. Was considered, that the amber is a salvage from an aphrenia and dyspnea, fever and icterus, helps at deafness and wrong metabolism, poisonings and illnesses of joints, spastic strictures and colics at children. At the same time, it gives beauty and longevity to the owner.
If a pregnant woman will constantly wear amber, she safely will keep a fetus, and the successful mild labors are guaranteed. The curative value of amber in the medical purposes was highly esteemed by Claudius Halen, famous Roman doctor and oriental doctor Abu Ali Ibn Sina. In the ancient books it is possible to find more than 50 of the prescriptions of medicines prepared of amber. In chemical structure of this stone more than 40 chemical combinations already are revealed and today the amber is used for producing one of the vitamins - D3 - an amber acid (nonspecific biostimulator), antiseptic agent, extract substance, which added in tooth Pastes and unguentum from rheumatic disease etc. Today the amber plates used to wax scotch when there is a fit of headache, when children cutting teeth they are given the slices of amber to chew, today in Poland the amber infusion considered the excellent remedy to chills, diseases of blaze and respiratory organs; powder of amber sniffed as a tobacco at upper respiratory organs diseases. The amber necklace will protect against struma. The amber acid medical application range is very wide: it stimulates nervous system, improves activity of kidneys and intestine, applied well as antistress and as antitoxic agent. Iamber acid preparations contribute in normalization of acid-alkaline equilibrium of a blood and restoration of forces even at the persons of advanced age. The amber acid medicines showed themselves good in case of pathology of a cardiac muscle, at treatment of arthritises, anemias, as physiological stimulator of respiration (is especial after a narcosis) etc.
The low grades of amber have found a use in religious exercises, as it burns well and fumes a pleasant smoke. In the past newlyweds and newborns were fumigated with a smoke of burning amber for happiness. Is noticed, that with this smoke disappear an asthma and tussis, and the importunate flies do not fly in a temple. In an antiquity was considered, that the amber draws insects to kill them. The scientific researches have revealed in " amber traps " more than 3000 kinds of insects (bugs, spiders, ants, wasps, gnats, flies and even fine animals - the lizards, frogs etc.) and more than 200 kinds of plants. The age of amber is 35 -140 million years, but generally, the majority of amber was formed in paleogene (50 millions years back).
Mystical Properties of Amber
Amber always was considered by different people as an antidemonic amulet. There used to be the popular belief that, having hidden the amber bead in clothes of the baby it is possible to counteract against malicious forces. Burmese children at 19th century often have brought amber amulets in the shape of frogs for protection from the jinx. In Scotland, people thought that witches and cruel demons are controlled away by amber beads, set on the thread. The red color of the thread was obligatory.
Old times, in rich houses of Russia and Poland baby sitters and nurses must have the heavy amber necklace on their neck. Considered that it will not only add health and purity to the skin of a child, as well as will protect the infant "from the jinx" and evil forces, does not miss nothing ill from nurses to the child and will bring power and health to the baby. Amber in the east was used as the embellishment for brides; in old Russia too, the brides before wedding ceremony put on the amber necklaces. Considered that amber will bring to just married happiness, prosperity and good luck.
Source: AmberOnly.com