Poland breaks world record for biggest lump of amber

The city of Gdańsk in Poland can now officially declare itself home to the largest lump of amber in the world after specialists including representatives from Guinness World Records authenticated, weighed and measured it yesterday.

Weighing in at 68.2 kg, the block can be found in the city’s Amber Museum. The Baltic region where Gdańsk is located is home to the world’s largest known deposits of amber – fossilised tree resin – although the boulder in question actually comes from Indonesia.

“Where better than in Gdańsk, the world capital of amber, on World Amber Day, to beat the Guinness world record?” said Piotr Borawski, the city’s deputy mayor, before the weighing, adding that he hoped the record would continue to attract visitors to the “iconic” museum.

This is an important day for everyone who loves amber,” said Waldemar Ossowski, director of the museum, quoted by Bankier.pl.

Amber comes in the form not only of the small pieces that can often be found on beaches in the area after a storm, but also much larger specimens such as the one found in a coal mine in North Sumatra, Indonesia, explained Ossowski.

“Amber is discovered not only here, but practically on every continent. It might be 2 million years old or more than 100 million,” he noted.

The amber block, made of dark brown and opaque resin and with yellow transparent parts, glows blue/violet under ultraviolet light. It was purchased by the museum last year for more than 140,000 zloty (around €29,000), largely thanks to a state grant.

It is almost 18 kg heavier than the previous record holder, also a boulder from Sumatra. Its dimensions were also measured by laser technology at 74 x 57.1 x 42.1 cm.

The boulder takes the world record in the “heaviest lump of amber” category, with official confirmation due from Guinness World Records within around a week.

It can be seen for free as its glass case is located next to the ticket office at the museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of amber and recently moved into a new location in the restored Great Mill in Gdańsk city centre.

The museum features a multimedia exhibition showcasing the history of amber, once one of Poland’s main natural resources, along with plants and animals preserved in the resin and masterpieces of artwork created using it.

Gdańsk’s unofficial status as the capital of amber is also expressed in boutiques and galleries selling amber of all shapes and sizes.

Main image credit: Bartosz Banka / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Ben Koschalka

Ben Koschalka is a translator and senior editor at Notes from Poland. Originally from Britain, he has lived in Kraków since 2005.