Amber

Fossilized tree resin, millions of years old. It sometimes traps insects, feathers and plants in perfect detail.

Amber specimen — Photo: Anders L. Damgaard - www.amber-inclusions.dk - Baltic-amber-beetle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify amber

Warm to the touch and very light.
Floats in salty water.
Smells like pine when rubbed hard or heated.
May contain bubbles or ancient insects.

Often confused with

Opal
Fire opal is harder, heavier and sinks in salt water.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Baltic Sea coast
Dominican Republic
Kachin, Myanmar

Uses

Jewelry, carvings and scientific study of ancient life.

Rock tumbling

Can be tumbled with care. Very soft — use plastic pellets and fine grit only.

Did you know?

Most Baltic amber is about 44 million years old and washes up on beaches after storms.

Think you could spot it from a blurry close-up?

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