The rock-hound in me won’t let this go unnoticed. Gdańsk is the home of amber and the beginning of the amber trading route that runs south to Italy. Last Monday Sharon and I walked 1/2 a block to the Gdańsk amber museum. Here is what we found.
First let me describe what amber is. Amber is petrified pine tree sap. It is a very soft gemstone, probably as soft as you can still work to make it take a polish. It is found on the seacoast as it washes up after a storm from the bottom of the sea. (Guess where I want to go when the weather gets really stormy this fall?) It will burn if you put it under a blow torch flame.
Amber was believed to have special properties and give special properties to the owner/wearer. It was believe to prevent all sorts of misfortunes, sicknesses, accidents, or curses. It was ground up and eaten (or put in drinks). Since everyone needs accident/disease/evil spirit prevention insurance, it was very valuable and was traded extensively in the ancient world (and in the modern one too!). The Romans were particularly fond of it.
Because little insects can get trapped in the pine-gum and become part of the amber you can find pieces with all sorts of bugs in them.
Here are some fun things people have done with amber.
