meripihka

Meripihka, Finnish for sea amber, refers to Baltic amber that has been washed ashore along the shores of the Baltic Sea. It is fossilized resin from ancient conifer forests that existed in the Baltic region during the Eocene epoch, roughly 40 to 50 million years ago. The resin hardened over time and was buried, eventually fossilizing into amber. Baltic amber is notable for occasional inclusions of small organisms and plant material, and the most common type is often called succinite, a name linked to its relatively high succinic acid content.

Today meripihka is found on beaches in several Baltic coastal areas, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, Finland, and Sweden. It has long been valued for jewelry and decorative objects, and it can be cut, carved, and polished into beads, cabochons, or other forms. Its color ranges from pale yellow to deep orange or brown, and it can range from translucent to nearly transparent. It is relatively soft, with a Mohs hardness around 2 to 3, and it is light enough to float in some conditions when in small pieces.

Etymologically, meripihka combines the Finnish words for sea and amber, reflecting its coastal origin. The Baltic region has a storied history of amber exploitation and trade, with amber from this area playing a central role in ancient routes and modern jewelry markets alike. While beautifully preserved, meripihka is a natural, organic material and its appearance can vary with age and provenance.