The Origin of Baltic Amber

Baltic amber is mineral resin the age, of which is estimated on 40-50 million years. Originally it was thought that the resin-forming tree was the pine Pinus succinifera. At present the opinion, that the resin was given off by several sorts of the conifers at prevailing participation of one of them, becomes more and more general. Amber-resin-giving forests covered the area of today's Scandinavia and of the Baltic sea. From there resin was transported by a river, the mouth of which was situated opposite today's sea-coasts of the Baltic and gradually changed into amber.

• The greatest ledges of amber are situated along the coast from Chłapów to Sambian Peninsula. However it is not its only place of occurrence. In the period of glaciations secondary deposits of amber dispersed all over Poland come into being.
• Illustration represents:
  - sea borders - blue color,
  - land - dotted line,
  - hypothetical route of the river Eridan
  transporting amber in upper Eocene - red color.