Amber Sea – Singapore’s Most Popular Talisman
Amber Sea is one of Singapore’s most popular neighbourhoods. It’s a prime residential area that is surrounded by vibrant street life and food culture, complemented by the East Coast Park and beach for some fun in the sun.
The Amber Gardens is also located in the area, a thriving neighbourhood that has become synonymous with Singapore’s cultural heritage and local foods. It has a strong following, both from locals and expats alike.
Many amber pieces are adorned with insect inclusions that were trapped inside the gem while it was still alive. These insects can be easily identified by the tiniest hairs and scales that are preserved inside them.
These inclusions are a sign of its origin and help to tell us what the stone was made from. The inclusions often include a variety of insects, some of which are currently extinct, such as fleas and flies.
As a natural talisman, Amber is believed to protect the wearer from negative energy, and it helps to absorb stagnant energies as well. To maintain this effect, it’s recommended that you cleanse your amber periodically to remove any build-up of negativity. Just run your amber under a tap for a few seconds to disperse any accumulated energy.
This gemstone was created millions of years ago from tree sap that was trapped inside an evergreen tree. If these trees were left uncut, they would eventually decay into amber.
Some of these trees are still growing today and can be found in the forests of Australia, New Guinea and Papua New Guinea. Others have been extinct for hundreds of millions of years, like the Monkey Puzzle tree and Kauri Pine.
During the Middle Ages, Gdansk was home to some of the world’s best amber artisans. They were renowned for their mastery, and one of their masterpieces was the infamous Amber Room. This room, supposedly decorated with the amber of Jurate and her fisherman Kastytis, is said to have been a symbol of love and beauty.
A number of different legends have been associated with amber throughout history. One of these is a story about a mermaid named Amberella, who was so beautiful that the Prince of the Seas wanted to claim her as his bride.
Another famous amber story comes from Ancient Greece. It relates to Phaeton, the son of Helios, who had asked his father if he could drive his sun-chariot for one day. Unfortunately, Phaeton had a tendency to go too far and his ride ended in disaster.
The Baltic region was once home to a large forest, where tree sap collected and turned into Amber. Over time, this amber was deposited into the Baltic Sea and travelled south towards Poland, where it became a prized gemstone.
