The oldest cut and polished amber pieces are dated back to the palaeolithic era (40000 - 10000 BC) - the end of ice age. Amber was known and used by humankind since the very beginning. The biggest number of amber workshops was founded in Gdansk and in Kurpie (northeast Poland on a big lowland called Mazowsze). Besides jewellery, craftsmen produced boxes, figures and mosaics. Amber was trendy in whole Europe. In the 2nd century, special workshops were established in Italy, which produced genuine decorations for the Roman Emperor.
Did You know:
Amber containing larger animals like scorpions, snails, frogs, and lizards can be very valuable—especially if the animal “inclusions” are preserved intact. Insects embedded in amber formed the basis of the movie “Jurassic Park.” The story centered around the cloning of dinosaurs from DNA found in dinosaur blood sucked up by prehistoric mosquitoes that were subsequently preserved in amber. The movie generated great interest in the gem.
