Baltic Amber Extraction
We know that natural Baltic Amber is millions of years old and that it was used by the ancients for healing and warding off evil spirits. The actual documented history of discovering natural amber begins in 1854 in Juodkrantė, a coastal town, when a shipping channel was in initial preparation. When word got out, a prominent investor from Klaipeda took interest in the discovery and founded a company "Stantien and Becker".
Then in 1860, a very long and time consuming process of using custom ships with specialized machinery, diving and then dredging took place over the next 30 years that yielded 75,000 kg in excellent raw amber each year. Some years were even better with a yield of 500,000 kg. And the company grew to more than 500 employees to manage the operation.
The end of the 19th century brought with it another major find of amber in the Curonian Lagoon. The discovery led to a huge demand for amber products in the world marketplace. The craftsmen of the amber commercial centers at Palanga and Klaipeda were in competition with the craftsmen of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) and Gdańsk. Before World War I up to 500 workers were engaged in the amber industry at Palanga. They processed approximately 20,000 kg of raw amber. Similar work was carried on at Klaipeda ("German "Memel).
Sadly, World War I almost destroyed the amber mining industry in Klaipeda and Palanga. However, when Lithuania became independent again in 1918, amber made a come back. A number of shops where amber artisans performed the trade began fulfilling orders again for both foreign and domestic markets employed hundreds to accomplish the demands. It is said that as much as 10,000 kg of raw amber were mined and processed each year from 1918 to 1939. About half of this amount was imported from Germany. But the remnants left from the craftsmen's work, which were exported to Germany for use in chemical plants, about equaled the amount that had been imported.
Yet again, amber industry became a victim of the destruction of World War II, but it recovered again. After the war shops for processing amber were gradually opened at Palanga, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Plunge and Vilnius. Several hundred craftsmen were engaged in the work, processing up to 10,000 kg of raw amber annually.
Much later, in 1963 the amber mines and pits of Palvininkai (German Palmnicken, Russian Iantarnyi) were incorporated into the Lithuanian amber industry. These century old mines, the largest in the world, are located on the Baltic Sea coast of the Samland (Sambia) Peninsula northwest of Kaliningrad. More than 500,000 kg of raw amber came from these mines every year…more than 90% of amber produced in the entire world.
Amber jewelry is made from less than 20% of that yield because of the quality that is required to produce excellent pieces. Less perfect samples – “pressed” amber are used for costume jewelry. The rest of the produce that is considered unsuitable for jewelry often ends up in factories where it then becomes amber oil, amber acid, amber varnish and other amber products.
Sincerely
Svajunas Petreikis
E-mail svajunas@amberartisans.com