Amber

AmberMillion years ago large stands of forests in some parts of the world began to seep globs of sticky resin! This aromatic resin oozed down the sides of trees, as well as filling internal fissures, trapping debris, such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects. As geologic time progressed the forests were buried and the resin hardened into a soft, warm, golden gem, known as amber. Amber is the fossilized resin of ancient trees which forms through a natural polymerization of the original organic compounds. Most of the world's amber is in the range of 30-90 million years old.

Amber, coming from the resin of ancient pine trees, holds little insects, feathers, plant material or other small objects that have been trapped. The resin fossilized after many years of passing through a heat and pressure process to become Amber. It appears surprisingly light and warm to the touch, and readily produces static electricity when rubbed. Indeed it was known to the ancient Greeks as elektron.

Amber is most usually similar colors to honey, varying from golden yellow, through rich orange and red to brown, but some can be white, dark brown almost to black, blue or green.

Amber carries the energy of the Sun, and it is a good stone to bring the bearer vitality, success, joy, strength, love, physical healing, luck, abundance and protection. It is also used to calm hyperactivity and stressed nerves.

Amber carries a negative electric charge, and therefore can be used to draw power and energy to the bearer.

Combined with Jet, another resin, it makes the traditional necklace of modern priestesses, also said to have been worn by the clergy of the Wise Ones in pre-Christian Europe. This combination on amber and jet represents the polarities of power: the Sun and the Moon, day and night, masculine and feminine, kinetic and active, magnetic and receptive.

http://www.airuma.com/gemA.htm
http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/amber.htm