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78
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DE NATURA FOSSILIUM
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garding
the places where it occurs. Nicias writes that it occurs in Egypt in
the same way as in Europe. Theophrastus says that it occurs in
Ethiopia and Xenocrates, someplace in Numidia. Asarubas, who lived in
the time of Pliny, writes that it comes from Lake Cephisida, called
Electrum by the Moors, near the Atlantic ocean. When this lake was
heated by the sun the amber would rise from the slime on the bottom.
Mnesias says it occurs in the same fashion in an African lake near
Sicyon from which flows the Cratis river. Theomenes says it is
collected from a swamp near Sidra on the north coast of Africa and he
was of the opinion that it was the juice of trees. Certainly it occurs
in Africa but where, I am not sure. A rough piece was brought from
Africa and when broken open was found to be reddish yellow and
transparent.
Amber
occurs in Asia since Nicias writes that it is found in Syria but he
does not give the name of the locality. Pselus says it is found at
Silachitis and has a reddish yellow color. He writes that the Moors
call both the Arabian and Indian material ambra. In the works
of Serapio amber is said to grow out of an earth which is under the
sea, in no way different from the manner in which fungus grows out of
things that project above the sea. In part it is cast up on the shore
along with small pebbles by the waves and storms and then collected and
in part it is eaten by fish and when they are killed it is found inside
them. That which is found in the stomach is misshapen, the best being
found near the spine.13 Avicenna and Pselus are more correct
in believing that it flows from springs in the ocean although neither
denies that it is found in fish. M. Paulus Venetus asserts that it
comes from whales near the island of Madagascar and is found through
good fortune. I do not know if amber is to be found in the stomachs of
our fish. Even Asiatic amber flows from fountains in the sea and when
hardened is cast on the shore in the same fashion as the European
mineral. The Asiatic material is not brought to us. Instead we receive
an artificial substance which smells of musk or civit. This is made
either from benzoin, white wax of a new swarm of bees, rotten ashwood
and moss of trees, or from storax, labdanum and shavings of aloe wood.
Musk or civit is added to each mixture and all is mixed with rose
water. It is easy to detect this fraud. Natural amber does not soften
in water as readily as does the artificial and it has a different color
and odor. So much for amber.
Not
far from the place where the Vistula empties into the Gulf of Pucicus
and near the monastery called Oliva they find quite hard lumps of
congealed bitumen with a form more or less resembling eggs and with
either a yellow, gray, reddish or even some other color. It is neither
sweet nor pleasant and burns readily. Small shrubs that have a fish-like
" This is probably a reference to ambergris or a related substance. The Arabian term anbar was
first given to ambergris, a gray waxy substance secreted by the sperm
whale. Later the name amber was derived from this term through the
French, and given to the fossil resin.
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