Received a golden necklace, richly wrought,
And set with amber beads, that glowed as if
With sunshine.
Homer
Amber, called gold of the North or gem of the Baltic is a fossilized tree resin dating back to millions of years ago, created as a form of healing an injury caused by wind, animals, fire... The mighty forest with palms and cinnamon trees that blessed us with this stunning gift of nature once covered the area of today's Scandinavia, with much warmer climate on Earth back then.
Amber is a window to the past ~ encompassing and preserving the organic material encountered on its way ~ like insects and plants which existed in the ancient world. At least 214 plant species have been identified and classified thanks to morphological analysis of amber.
The history of amber extends as far as back to the Stone Age, when it was used as decoration ~ in sculptures, jewelry, instruments; and for medicinal purposes, mainly as teething necklaces for infants. Throughout history, amber was an incredibly popular trading item, especially amongst Romans, who imported it from the Baltic countries.
Its anti-inflammatory and natural pain-reducing properties made amber popular and loved by different cultures of the world. Ancient people, mesmerized by its ability to generate static electricity, traded amber for iron and copper, using it to treat illnesses and believing it possessed magic powers.
Amber has many powerful qualities ~ it heals the emotional and physical body, helps in stress and anxiety relief as well as clearing depression. With the life force it carries resembling sun trapped in a drop of gold, amber emanates bright, soothing energy.
Amber warms the more it is touched, thus results the most beneficial when worn against the skin, especially as prayer beads.
We are well aware of the current stone market trends and practices, realizing that many mala necklaces are sold under the name of 'amber' but truly made of plastic or reconstituted amber.
While sourcing beads for chapati&chai malas, we find providers from the countries of origin - Poland and Lithuania, where local craftsmen responsibly obtain and process the amber according to the highest standards and traditions.
Shop our amber malas here.
•gotta have at least one true mala ~ make it a •chapati&chai•