Its ability to produce static electricity has fascinated observers from the earliest times. Amber's magnetic property gave rise to the word electricity: amber (Greek, elektron) was used in the earliest experiments on electricity. Amber's natural properties inspired myth and legend and dictated its usage.

Amber has also been used, historically, as a talisman for courage and self-confidence, and was thought to bring good luck to warriors in battle. In some cultures, amber symbolizes the renewal of marriage vows and is used to assure promises.

Amber is considered a gem because it glows and glistens when polished, but Amber is not actually a gemstone. It is the hardened resin of certain types of ancient trees that have been fossilized over millennia. Because of its unique properties, Amber has been adorned and studied relentlessly for centuries.

Deposits of amber occur throughout both the Old and the New Worlds, and many varieties are recognized. Of the many kinds of amber found in the Old World, the most plentiful today, as in antiquity, is Baltic amber (figure 12), or succinite (so called because it has a high concentration of succinic acid).