Amber: meaning, magic and how to spot copal and plastic

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

Amber is sunlight that has been asleep for millions of years. It is not a stone but fossilised tree resin, warm in the hand and sometimes holding a trapped insect or leaf. Around the Baltic Sea, amber has washed up on beaches for as long as people have lived there. In modern witchcraft it is a stone of warmth, luck, protection and the life force itself.

At a glance

How witches use amber today

Modern Amber is worn more often than it is placed on altars, because people love its warmth against the skin.

Amber and jet. Cunningham notes that some Wiccan High Priestesses wear necklaces of alternating amber and jet, representing the Goddess and God, or the projective and receptive forces of nature. Many witches wear the pairing for balance.

Luck and warmth. A piece of amber in a pocket is a modern luck charm, especially in winter when its warmth is noticeable.

Protection. Cunningham lists protection. Witches hang a small piece of amber by the front door or keep it on the altar as a symbol of guarding life. Never put amber necklaces on babies, because of the choking and strangling risk.

Sun magic. Amber’s golden glow makes it a natural stone for Litha and for any spell asking for vitality.

Ancestors. Because it is ancient and once living, amber is used in ancestor work: hold it while you speak the names of those who came before you.

Tarot pairing. I pair amber with The Sun: warmth, life and plain joy.

Journal prompt. What old warmth in my life deserves to be remembered and carried forward?

Try this: a warmth-keeping ritual

1. Hold a piece of amber in your closed hand for a few minutes until it feels warm.
2. Think of a time you felt completely safe and warmly loved.
3. Breathe that memory into the amber.
4. Wear or carry it on a cold or lonely day.
5. Whenever you touch it, let the warmth of the stone remind you of the warmth of the memory.

Folklore and history

Historical Cunningham notes that amber beads and pendants have been found in northern European graves dating back thousands of years. Baltic amber was traded across Europe in prehistoric and Roman times.

Later tradition Amber was believed to hold life because it is warm and sometimes contains insects. Cunningham mentions a Chinese belief that the souls of tigers became amber at their death.

Modern In modern Wicca and witchcraft, amber is linked with the Goddess, the Sun and the fifth element.

Care and safety

Amber is soft and sensitive. Keep it away from heat, perfume, hairspray and solvents. Clean it with a damp cloth and dry it. Never burn or sand amber: the International Gem Society’s toxicity table flags it, and fumes and dust from organic material are best avoided. Never use “teething” amber necklaces on babies. Amber is a symbol of warmth, not a treatment.

Ethics and buying

Copal. Copal is younger, less hardened resin. It looks like amber and also floats in salt water, but it often becomes tacky with solvents.

Imitations. Plastics, glass and “pressed amber” made from heated fragments are common. National Museums Scotland’s guide to fake amber necklaces explains why the saltwater test rules out glass and many plastics but cannot separate copal from amber. For expensive pieces, ask for a lab report.

What next

Pair amber with jet for balance, or with frankincense, another resin. See my beginner’s guide to crystals.