The Amber Road starts here

Amber is tree resin that hardens over time and for amber beads to form, the resin must be millions of years old. The more common colors of amber range from yellow to red. Rarer kinds of amber are found in blues and greens. Amber beads have been around for centuries and their origin goes back 45 million years.

 Amber beads available at Brightlings Beads

During that time, a thick ‘amber forest' covered what is now the central part of Europe. Had Brightlings Beads been in business back then, it would have made one heck of a supplier.

But with so much changing over millions of centuries, the fashion appeal of Amber has always remained in style.

It was even favored by royalty.

In the early 20th century, archaeologists discovered Baltic Amber within the famous tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamnun, more commonly known as King Tut. Amber beads were also found in the tomb of an even older Egyptian pharaoh named Teti, who lived around 2340 B.C.

Amber was such an awe-inspiring gemstone that it was deemed one of the first objects worth trading. The Amber Road was the name given to an ancient trade route that connected the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas. The Amber Road ran down from Asia all the way through Italy and into Egypt.

Some amber beads are considered to be a type of fossil. Insects, pieces of plant life and soil are fossilized in some ancient amber beads and have been considered collector’s pieces. Amber even played a major role in a modern Hollywood blockbuster. In the movie Jurassic Park, dinosaur DNA was found in a piece of amber and used to bring the ancient creatures back to life so that they could terrify audiences worldwide.

One of our lighter colored amber beads

Now there are no T-Rex or Terradactyl remains found in any of the Amber Beads for sale at Brightlings Beads. However, we do offer an array of different styles, all of which are very pleasing to the eye. 

In addition to the part that amber has played in world history, it is also believed by some to have healing powers.  It is believed to contain powers that can pull disease out of the body. Amber beads are also believed to have a calming effect and can transfer energy from negative to positive.

There is a unique way of authenticating amber as well. True amber will float in salt water but sink in fresh water.

At Brightlings Beads, you won’t need to walk down The Amber Road or snatch away some of King Tut’s goodies to get your hands on these semi-precious gemstones, which have been coveted for centuries.

The beauty of the internet can now bring the beauty of amber beads straight to you.