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
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