The Magickal History of Amber

There are two stones associated with witches, amber and jet, neither of them actually "stones" in the true sense. Jet, a fossilized wood, was known as black amber, in the Middle Ages. Amber itself is actually a fossilized resin, from extinct coniferous trees that flourished along the Baltic coast and other areas seventy to forty million years ago. It may be opaque or transparent, the opaqueness due to tiny air bubbles in the sap.

In Greek mythology, amber was thought to be formed by the tears of Phaeton's two sisters, the Heliads, who were turned to poplar trees while weeping over Phaeton's death. In Scandinavian mythology, it was formed by the tears shed by Freya when Odin wandered out into the world. In Homer's Odyssey, Book XVIII (c. 700 BCE), Odysseus's wife, Penelope, is presented with "an elaborate chain strung with beads of amber like golden sunshine."

Amber occurs as irregularly shaped drops in all shades of yellow, from the lightest to the darkest yellow-brown. It is also found, although rarely, in opaque and translucent colors ranging from ruby red to iridescent green and blues. These color variations are due to the presence of foreign matter contained in the sap. Amber has been carved and used ornamentally in jewelry and such things as pipe mouthpieces. It may well have been the first gemlike material ever used for personal adornment.

Since the Stone Age, the wearing of amber as an amulet has been considered a cure for numerous illnesses and is thought to be especially efficacious for asthma. Among the many diseases believed to be affected by amber are goiter, deafness, jaundice, throat, ailments, poor eyesight, erysipelas (an acute bacterial disease marked by fever and skin inflammation), catarrh, headaches, digestive problems, and teething problems in children. Because of this, amber was thought to bring good luck and protection. Consequently, many talismans were made of amber.

One reason that amber was held in such esteem is that when rubbed it develops negative electrical static, causing it to attract small pieces of paper. The Greek work for amber was electron, from which we get the work "electricity."

Although legends have referred to amber as being the solidified urine of the lynx (one of its names is lyncurius) or petrified seal and dolphin sperm, the Greeks and the Romans both knew that it did in fact come from tree resin.

The Romans often used amber during the reign of the Emperor Nero, who likened his wife's hair to its color. The Chinese use it extensively in the making of incense and perfume. Since Roman times amber has also been thought to be a protection against witchcraft, despite the fact that it is a favorite jewel for witches themselves.

Bibliography:
Dubin, Lois Sherr: The History of Beads. 1987.
Encyclopedia Britannica. 1964.
Kunz, George F.: The Curious Lore of Precious Stones. 1913.
Pavitt, William T. and Kate: The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems. 1972.