Edmonton Tumblewood Lapidary Club
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AMBER
Prepare by Daniel W. Smith


Chemical Composition:    (Approximately) C10H16O
Specific Gravity        1.05 to 1.09
Hardness            2.0 to 2.5
Cleavage            None
Fracture            Conchoidal, brittle
Colour                Light yellow to brown, white, red, blue, black
Transparency            Translucent to opaque
Fluorescance            Bluish-white to yellow-green

    Amber is fossilized, hardened resin of the pine tree formed during the Eocene period about 50 M years ago.  It has an undefined structure.
    Amber has been used since ancient times for jewelry and religious objects.  Large deposites of amber are found in the Baltic region.  This amber is especially solid.  
Modified Amber
    Small pieces can be “welded” at 140 to 250o C and 3000 atmosphere pressure into ambroid.  Amber can also be imitated by resins (copal), synthetic resins and yellow glass.

References:

Hamilton, W.R., Wooley, A.R. and Bishop, A.C. 1974. The Henry Holt Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Fossils. Hamlyn Publishing Company, New York, 320 p.
Schumann, W. 1979. Gemstones of the World. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 256 p.



SOME OF THE NAMES FOR AMBER
(amber, being an English word)


African (Ashanti Tribe)     Nka Pa   
Arabic                            Kahroba (it means raw rubber)
Armenian                       Sot
Barnsteen                      South Africa (Afrikaans)
Belgian                          Anbernen  (Ancient term, meaning 'to burn')
China                            A-Shih-Mo-Chieh-P'o:
                                    Fehg
                                    Fuling
                                    Fung Chi
                                    Hsiang P'o
                                    Hu Po (Poetic term - 'Tiger's Soul')
                                    Huh P'o (Poetic term - 'Tears of the Tiger')
                                    Kao Li
                                    Ming P'o
                                    Nan P'o
                                    Shih Chien
                                    Sung Chi
                                    Tun Mou
                                    Wo Kuoh
Egyptian                       Sekal   
English                        Amber
Estonia                        Merevaik
France                        Ambre    
Germany                    Bernstein (meaning stone that burns)
Greek (Present)          Ambrosia (there are a few Greek versions)
Greece                       Berenikis:  (A historic reference to a blonde-haired queen
                                 Berenice  II, wife of king Tolomeo Eurgete)
Greek                         Soukinos (ancient for amber (juice) deriving from Latin
                                Succinum)
Greek                        Pterygophon (Ancient, meaning 'material that attracts feathers', referring to electrostatic properties of amber)
Hebrew                          Ghashmal:  (Say it quick and someone may say "Bless you")
Hungarian and Ukranian    Borostyan
Italy                            Ambra
Italian                         Karabe (Ancient term taken from Arabic term meaning "material that
                                 attracts straw", alluding to the electrostatic properties amber)
                                 Kehruba (poetic meaning of 'straw thief')
Italy                           Langurium, Lyncurium:  Latin, from lincurio meaning
                                 'urine of lynx' -  formerly believed as condensed urine of
                                  Lynx & also associated with Liguria, a region of Italy where amber was supposed to be found.
                                 Succino (Ancient Italian, translation of succinum)
India                          Kah Ruba
                                 Rav
Japan                        Kohaku                 
Korea                        Wo Kuoh
Korea                         Poh She
Latin                          Elektron (Ancient Greek, possibly meaning 'bright material'; more accurately due to
                                 negative electrical charge acquired by friction; a basis for our word 'electricity')
Latin                          Succinum (Meaning 'juice')
Latvia                         Dzintars
Lithuania                     Gintaras
Phoenicia                   Yainitar
Poland                        Jantar
Poland                        Bursztyn
Portuguese                Alambre:  
Romanian                  Chihlinbar
Russia, Bielorus, Ukraine     Yantar
Scizia                        Sacrium (Ancient term from the Jutland region we now know as Denmark)
Spain                        Ambar:   (also linked to an Arabic word, from which amber is derived)
Spanish                    Succina (ambar is another)                 
Sweden                     Barnsten
Syria                         Harpaks (Ancient term)
Thai                          Ching Peh
Tibet                         Poh She
Turkey                       Kehribar
                                Trnagrahin
Viet Nam                  Tun Mou
Yiddish                     Agdsten (from any of the many places, the Jewish culture settled)  
Yiddish                     Barnsten (from any of the many places, the Jewish culture settled)
Yiddish                     Burshtinen (used as an adjective)

Other Terms

Standard term            Fossil Resin

Minerological name                Retinite  (for amber not containing succinic acid)
                                           Succinite (Mineralogical name of amber fromBaltic,
                                           since succininc acid is contained therein)
Poetic, Nordic                      Freja's Tears
Poetic                                Captured Sunshine,  
                                         Hardened Honey
                                         Sea Gold
                                         Sun Tears
                                         Tears of the Heliades (Greek)
                                         Tiger's Soul (Asian)
                                        Gold             
                                        Petrified Light