In Romania, a fragment of fossil amber weighing about 3.5 kg – The largest ever discovered in the world – and with an estimated value greater than 1 million euroswas used for decades as simple stoppage. It is a very curious and bizarre story. The pepper was found by a town of Colția small town in South-east of Romaniain the bed of a river that flows near the village. The woman brought the “rock” at home and used it as stoppage in his home for several decadesunaware of its real value.
It is, in fact, a pepper of amber “rumanite“, Meaning what fossil resinwhose age has not yet been determined precisely, but which is placed between the late Cretaceous and the late Miocene – So between about 70 and 38 million years ago. In general, this variety of amber has shades ranging from pale yellow to intense red and brown; The darker varieties usually accentuate internal cracks that generate numerous reflective surfaces. This particular amber is typical of the region of Carpathianswhich explains his discovery in the mountain surroundings of the village of Colți. The origin of Rumanite is not yet completely clear, but some studies hypothesize that it derives from onehydrothermal alteration of the Baltic ambrathe best known in the world.
The fragment used as a stopper is now considered the bigger fragment of amber ever foundwith a weight of 3.5 kg and a coloring intense red. Upon the death of the elderly owner, which took place in 1989, a relative who had inherited the house began to suspect that that unique object could have a value well higher than that of a simple stop. After making him analyze, he discovered his enormous value, estimated at about 1.1 million euros, And he decided to sell it to the Romanian state. Today the fragment is kept at the History Museum of Krakow in Polandwhich has a section specialized in the study of semi -pride.
