The History of Amber Beads and What This Gemstone Really Is

Mysterious gemstones have attracted human attention for thousands of years. The curiosity to know more about something fuels people’s fascination toward it. This is the reason why amber was once regarded as “petrified sunlight” or the “frozen gold.” Gold and amber are two completely different elements of nature, but they both possess incredible beauty that makes them an endeared possession for any individual.

The bright yellow hue of amber hides the mystery of this marvelous gem. Perhaps it is the concealed mystery of amber that makes the wearer feel and look good when they put it on. It has been used in communities around the world for thousands of years, and it is still deemed fashionable in the 21^st century. Some people believe that the visual impact of a stunning piece of perfectly crafted amber jewelry can be greater than that of diamonds. If you have a passion for making jewelry for sale, then amber beads are a must-have item in your collection.

History of Amber

The history of this insanely beautiful gemstone will enthrall you without a shadow of a doubt. There was a time when people believed that amber was of divine origin. Such was the glory of this gemstone. The reason why people thought that amber was sent down upon Earth from the heavens was because no one could figure out how or where it was formed.

The alchemists of the olden days preached that amber was created from the rays of the setting sun. They told people that the element was concealed in the evening sea, and then cast upon the sandy beaches as a divine stone.

The supposed divine origin of amber was one of the many reasons why people believed that this gemstone had the ability to enhance intellectual powers of the human mind. As a result, amber was prescribed for memory loss and anxiety, and a host of other mental illnesses and psychological disorders.

Take the ancient Romans, for example. They loved amber and came up with numerous uses for this gemstone. They believed that powdered amber mixed in a cup of wine had the power to heal a person suffering from fever or asthma.

Amber and Electricity

Many years ago, it was discovered that rubbing amber against a woolen cloth could build up static charge. As a result, the gemstone was able to attract small objects. This is how the word electricity was coined. “Lektron” is the ancient name for amber, and the term “electricity” has been derived from this age-old word. The electric properties of amber made people believe that the stone had the magical power to draw energy into the bearer or the wearer. This gave them the idea to create amulets out of amber.

What Is Amber?

There is a lot that we know about amber, but there is still plenty more for us to discover and learn. Many of us are not even sure of what amber is as a substance, other than the fact that it is a gemstone.

The origin of amber can be traced back to approximately 60 million years ago. The places that are engulfed in seas today were forests during that period in time. A substance called resin trickled down from the trees and landed in the puddles below. As millions of years passed by, the land was slowly replaced by the sea and the weight of the water caused the resin to turn into a brownish, yellow gemstone. The gemstone eventually floated to the surface and landed on the shores.

We think that amber can only be colored brown, yellow, orange, or green. However, this gemstone can range from almost white to nearly black. As amber gets older, it turns into a darker shade of rich, reddish brown.

Can Amber Be Manmade?

Manmade amber does exist. In fact, you would be surprised to know that amber has been replicated by people for thousands of years. You can find beads in Egyptian tombs made from copal that look quite similar to amber. However, copal is nowhere near as old as amber. Another common imitation of amber is called amberoid. This is usually referred to as pressed or reconstituted amber. Part of an amberoid contains real amber scraps and shavings. The tiny pieces are collected, heated, and pressed into large blocks to create a final product which may look a lot like amber, but is actually quite different from the original gemstone.