Poland breaks world report for largest lump of amber

Town of Gdańsk in Poland can now formally declare itself house to the biggest lump of amber on this planet after specialists together with representatives from Guinness World Information authenticated, weighed and measured it yesterday.

Weighing in at 68.2 kg, the block will be discovered within the metropolis’s Amber Museum. The Baltic area the place Gdańsk is positioned is house to the world’s largest recognized deposits of amber – fossilised tree resin – though the boulder in query truly comes from Indonesia.

“The place higher than in Gdańsk, the world capital of amber, on World Amber Day, to beat the Guinness world report?” stated Piotr Borawski, the town’s deputy mayor, earlier than the weighing, including that he hoped the report would proceed to draw guests to the “iconic” museum.

This is a vital day for everybody who loves amber,” stated Waldemar Ossowski, director of the museum, quoted by Bankier.pl.

Amber comes within the kind not solely of the small items that may usually be discovered on seashores within the space after a storm, but in addition a lot bigger specimens such because the one present in a coal mine in North Sumatra, Indonesia, defined Ossowski.

“Amber is found not solely right here, however virtually on each continent. It may be 2 million years previous or greater than 100 million,” he famous.

The amber block, product of darkish brown and opaque resin and with yellow clear elements, glows blue/violet beneath ultraviolet mild. It was bought by the museum final yr for greater than 140,000 zloty (round €29,000), largely because of a state grant.

It’s virtually 18 kg heavier than the earlier report holder, additionally a boulder from Sumatra. Its dimensions have been additionally measured by laser know-how at 74 x 57.1 x 42.1 cm.

The boulder takes the world report within the “heaviest lump of amber” class, with official affirmation due from Guinness World Information inside round every week.

It may be seen free of charge as its glass case is positioned subsequent to the ticket workplace on the museum, which homes the world’s largest assortment of amber and lately moved into a brand new location within the restored Nice Mill in Gdańsk metropolis centre.

The museum incorporates a multimedia exhibition showcasing the historical past of amber, as soon as certainly one of Poland’s major pure assets, together with vegetation and animals preserved within the resin and masterpieces of art work created utilizing it.

Gdańsk’s unofficial standing because the capital of amber can also be expressed in boutiques and galleries promoting amber of all sizes and shapes.

Primary picture credit score: Bartosz Banka / Agencja Wyborcza.pl