Necklace compsed of antique amber beads
dating from the Hellenistic through the Roman
periods.
Amber, the fossilized resin of extinct trees, is
one of the oldest gems known to man. Amulets
made from it have been found in tombs dating
from the Stone Age. Of rich color, its electrical
properties made it magic to primitive man and
this fascination has continued to the present
day. Widespread trade in amber began over
9,000 years ago, when it traveled from the Baltic
region to the palaces and cities of the ancient
Mediterranean, such as Knossos and Mycenae. It
was believed in Antiquity-- as now-- that
amber could cure numerous ailments and avert
evil or prevent witchcraft. Ancient myths
ascribed its origins to the rays of the setting sun,
cooled in the ocean; to the tears of rare birds; or
to the urine of the lynx. Homer makes mention
of amber in the Odyssey. In prehistoric times, the
resin oozing from trees sometimes encased
insects and other specimens of natural life.
These inclusions are highly prized today. Amber
varies in color from pale yellow, to rich honey
brown, to deep orange to red. Soothing to the
touch as well as to the eye, it is still one of the
most popular gems after the passage of
millennia.
- (SB.0340)
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