From an Amulet against Devil Spirits to Jurassic Park: The Amber of Chiapas

Surrounded by mystery and charm, amber has been around for millions of years, testimony to prehistoric times and lost ages. Known as the “Window to the Past”,   this crystal transparent gem is an organic plastic with the unique and singular ability to encompass and preserve the materials it encounters.

Some years ago, amber was popularized by the book and movie Jurassic Park.  Although a fictional story, it’s not far from reality as today’s technology makes it possible to extract DNA from animals and insects trapped inside this remakrable substance. Amber was used in ancient times as a lucky charm against evil and dark forces.

If you want to discover one of the regions where fascinating amber has been fossilized over the ages, follow the path to Chiapas.

Chiapas, one of the richest and most complex destinations in Mexico, is a place full of history and with an amazing past. It is the cradle of Mayan civilization, a culture that has astonished the world. Chiapas is a place where the pre-Hispanic past of the Maya has been preserved and where Mayan dialects are still alive. Today, colonial and Spanish influences share space with ancient traditions. As amber has preserved prehistoric species, thus Chiapas has encompassed and maintained the ancient Mayan culture and its archeological sites.

Some 25 to 40 million years ago in the mountainous north of Chiapas, a humid, rainy territory surrounded by steep cliffs rising 6,000 feet above sea level, guapinoles trees dripped an aromatic resin that fossilized over time resulting in one of the richest amber mines in Mexico: Simojovel de Allende, “the town of amber”.

Simojovel, roughly 50 miles north of San Cristobal de Las Casas and 80 miles northwest of Tuxtla Gutierrez, produces 90 per cent of all the amber in Mexico. Here, most of the men are dedicated to the exploitation and commercialization of amber, extracting 644 pounds daily. Before the Spanish, Simojovel and Totolapa –also in Chiapas- provided the fossil resin to towns throughout Mesoamerica.

A visit to the Museum of Amber in San Cristobal is an incredible experience. A unique space that was once the Ex convento de laMerced, a magnificent building safeguarding an exceptional collection of 350 pieces of raw amber, precious jewelry, ornamental pieces and gems with important insect inclusions.

The museum shows the story of amber, covering the extraction process and the geographic areas where it can be found. The museum also has workshops with the artisans polishing, cutting and transforming the amber into finished pieces.

http://www.chiapasambercreations.com/

http://www.ambericawest.com/chiapas.html