Baltic Amber
Baltic Amber
This specimen is a beautiful bead of Baltic amber dating to 40,000,000 to 60,000,000 years old. The rich golden coloring of this material has dazzled human kind for centuries!
It's a unique and beautiful piece of history from the Eocene period. These amber pieces come from the Baltic Sea, where a treasure trove of fossilized insects can be found. Each piece comes with a display case along with an informational card that serves as certificate of authenticity.
Please Note: These amber pieces do not contain visible insects. Some inclusions may be present within the amber such as dust, seeds, pollen, or small leaves, though this is not guaranteed.
Fossilized Amber
Over millions of years of intense heat and pressure, the liquid resin of prehistoric trees transforms into a golden stone with a brilliant glow. This is Baltic Amber, an incredible material of incomparable beauty.
This specimen dates back 40,000,00 to 60,000,000 years, all the way from the Eocene Epoch. It comes from deposits around the Baltic Sea, which is known to scientists as the greatest repository of fossil amber ever discovered.
Small, Medium, and Large sized amber pieces are all available.
- Small - Amber bead measures approximately 1/4"-1/2" inches in length.
- Medium - Amber bead measures approximately 1/2"-1".
- Large - Amber bead measures approximately 1 inch or longer.
Each specimen is enclosed in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card which serves as certificate of authenticity is also included. The Small and Medium sized amber beads are shipped in a specimen jar with a removable lid for protection against loss.
MORE ABOUT AMBER
What is amber?
Amber is a unique fossil substance that shines with a golden hue. For millennia it has been an object of curiosity to many cultures and some pieces are especially interesting due to the prehistoric creatures captured within. The story of these nuggets of time all begins millions of years ago with an insect and a tree.
When a plant is damaged by a hungry bug, it secretes a substance called resin to activate its defense system. Resin is a viscous material produced by plants, primarily from conifers, that is both sticky and smelly (some might say fragrant). This scent lures the insect towards it, where it can quickly become trapped in the resin. In essence, it is an ancient and organic flypaper.
The tackiness of resin comes from carboxylic acids which make up the bulk of its mass. Hydrocarbon compounds known as terpenes provide the fragrance. Together, these organic compounds create the perfect bug-catching defense for trees. In fact, if you've ever enjoyed the scent of a pine candle, you may be falling for the very same evolutionary trap!
When compressed and heated beneath layers of sediment for millions of years, tree resin undergoes a process of molecular polymerization. This changes the chemical structure of the resin, making it tougher and stony. The result is a low-density, amorphous solid known as amber.
Front of the Specimen Card
Back of the Specimen Card
Further Reading
Daza, Juan D., Edward L. Stanley, Philipp Wagner, Aaron M. Bauer, and David A, Grimaldi. "Mid-Cretaceous amber fossils illuminate the past diversity of tropical lizards." Science Advances 2(3) 4 March 2016. Web. 5 April 2019.
Grimaldi, David A., Michael S. Engel, and Paul C. Nascimbene. "Fossiliferous Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma): its rediscovery, biotic diversity, and paleontological significance." American Museum Novitates (2002): 1-71.
Pierson, Jessica A. Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian) Sequence Stratigraphy, Southeastern North Carolina, USA. Diss. University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2003.
Shi, Guanghai, David A. Grimaldi, George E. Harlow, Jing Wang, Jun Wang, Mengchu Yang, Weiyan Lei, Qiuli Li, and Xianhua Li. "Age constraint on Burmese amber based on U-Pb dating of zircons." Cretaceous Research 37 (2012) 155-163. Web. 5 April 2019.
Swift, Donald JP, and S. Duncan Heron Jr. "Tidal deposits in the Cretaceous of the Carolina Coastal Plain." Sedimentary Geology 1 (1967): 259-282.
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