It takes its time but its worth it - if you ask us! Amber is millions of years old and has been the subject of fascination for centuries. There have been many myths and legends passed through generations as to how Amber is made however, it is a little bit more scientific than tales of love and loss. Amber is a gift from nature that can only be formed if the environment is just right!
The Origins of Amber
Amber is made from fossilised resin from trees that stood tall millions and millions of years ago that most likely are extinct. These trees instinctively release resin when their trunk is being attacked by parasites and insects or violent weather. The damage is instantly healed by the thick, sticky resin, both inside and outside so that the tree is healthy once again. Resin should not be confused with sap, which is a different thing entirely. Sap is a sticky substance that provides trees with the nutrients it needs to grow tall and strong.
Eventually the resin trickles to the forest floor. Small insects and plant debris gets stuck to the tacky substance on its way down the trunk and becomes trapped inside when the resin hardens. They remain frozen in time offering a window back in time that is very useful to scientists as they can find so much more about the creatures that existed millions of years ago. It’s fascinating how the Amber home preserves the organisms so that they don’t decompose.
The Fossilisation Process
Not every bit of resin turns into Amber due to the threats of the natural world. Bad weather and creepy crawlies are to blame as the conditions for fossilisation has to be just right. The pieces of resin that survive have to be chemically stable to ensure that it doesn’t degrade and is unaffected by the climate or bugs. During the beginning stages of fossilisation, the ocean can easily sweep the resin into deep blue and beneath the layers of sediment.
Million of years ago, several glaciers occurred in the Baltic area destroying forests full of resin-bearing trees, which became trapped under many layers of wet clay and sediment. As a result, the resin is preserved due to the lack of oxygen whilst buried. Over time the constant pressure and high temperature transforms the resin into the much loved fiery, orange Amber. Violent storms disrupt the glowing fragments from the seabed and they float out to the shore.
How Old is Amber?
It's unsure of the exact age of Amber yet we do know that the approximate age is between 30 - 90 million years old. The uncertainty is due to not knowing how long the resin takes to turn into Amber. We do know that the oldest piece of the fiery gem is almost 300 million years old - that's a long, long time!
