Large Copal Amber Colombia

You'll feel the warming energy of this glowing golden-orange specimen of Copal Amber from Colombia. This is a large specimen of Amber from the Hymeneae oblongnifolia tree of Colombia. It features exceptional clarity, and several organic materials with twigs and insects trapped inside. You can also see air bubbles along the edge of the specimen. This lovely piece has a flat-cut base for the perfect display and has been polished to a high gloss finish.

Copal amber (or young amber) is a slightly different classification of tree resin than ancient amber. Ancient amber has "crystallized" or solidified to a harder extent than copal amber,  but it forms in the same way. Insects or organic debris such as leaves and twigs become trapped inside of resin which has been exuded from a tree either for defense purposes or as a healing mechanism following damage. This resin then begins to solidify and harden, encapsulating these organic materials inside!

The remains of the resin fall to the forest floor and if sufficiently polymerized will then wash into stream beds, or swamps where they are transported naturally to deposition sites. Some remain within the tissue of the tree and are later found preserved in coal deposits. 

The age ranges of Copal from Colombia vary depending upon the region where it was collected and have been dated to between tens of thousands, up to 5 million years old. Colombian copal is considerably harder than copal amber specimens from other locations throughout the world, making it likely from the older part of that age range.

This specimen fluoresces blue under UV light. We have backlit this specimen to provide more detailed photographs of the inclusions within the Amber.

*This piece has a flat-cut base and is self-standing

Approx. 4.8" W x 3.5" H x 2.75" Deep


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