PALEONTOLOGY INFORMATION
AMBER
Another name for amber is called Sun Tears or Ancient Tree Gold. It is made of prehistoric tree resin that has been in the earth for millions of years. Amber is unusual because it is made from tree sap. Most samples also carries life within it which had been around in the Jurrassic time as well as some earlier samples now that carry the imprint of a time not to long past.
Amber usually has a golden sheen and can be found also with petrified wood. This fossil ressin carries insects, sometimes leaves, flowers, and other organic life that gets intrapped into the tree sap.
So far man has not been able to duplicate the process unlike diamonds and some gemstones which are duplicated through heating processes. Amber is unique in that sence.
Amber is formed from a resin and contains succinis acid or succinite. This resin exsists below the bark and protects the tree form wood boring insects or loss of limbs due to storms. Resin (or sap,) flows like a syrup and has a distinct piney smell to it. This smell is due to a substance known as terpenes.
This gemstone and reminder of a past era is one of our most precious posessions. Even more so than gold. I will eventually put up some great links so that you can find out more about this precious stone. I hope that you will enjoy these picutres I have on here for you. These are only a few of the types of amber available. Thank You.
As you can see Amber comes in all shapes and sizes and each peice contains something unique inside. Amber is also used in artwork and jewelry.
This one of course is a spider trapped in the amber. The pictures above are of prehistoric termites and other organisms traped inside pieces of amber.
This one is of a piece of amber containing a feather. The amber, because it is a resin has bubbles in it you can see as well. It is very much like liquid gold.
Dinosaur pictures next page. The Terrible Lizzards.
