amber
Sign in to savethumb|An ant inside Baltic amber thumb|right|Unpolished amber stones
AI overview
Amber is a fossilized tree resin that has hardened over millions of years, sometimes preserving insects and other organisms trapped inside it. Scientists and collectors value amber because it provides a rare window into ancient life and ecosystems from the distant past.
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Article
28 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Varietal names
- History
- Composition
- Formation
- Extraction and processing
- Distribution and mining
- Treatment
- Appearance
- Classification
- Class I
- Class II
- Class III
- Class IV
- Class V
- Geological record
- Paleontological significance
- Use
- Jewelry
- Historical medicinal uses
- Scent of amber and amber perfumery
- Refractory media
- Imitation substances
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|An ant inside Baltic amber thumb|right|Unpolished amber stones
Amber is fossilized tree resin. It has been appreciated for its color (orange, brown and, sometimes, red) and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since classical antiquity. Amber is used in jewelry and as a healing agent in folk medicine.