A drop of amber, from the

weeping plan,

Fell unexpected, and

embalmed an ant,

The little insect

we so much condemn

Is, from a worthless ant,

become a gem

by Roman Poet Marcus Marital (40 - 102 A.D.)

Jewelry made of amber has been found in Norther European tombs dating from 8000 B.C. making it one of the oldest forms of jewelry. Amber is polymerized resin from the Pinus Succinifera trees of a subtropical forest which covered Polan, 40 to 60 million years ago. For ten thousand years, inhabitants of the Baltic countries have been finding chunks of amber washed up on their beaches. Ancient Slavic tribes thought amber was magical because of its warm feel, its lightness and its luster. Some tribes believe it was solidified sunshine. Others believed it was the petrified tears of gods. The Greeks, fascinated by amber's ability to pick-up a static charge called it "electron," the word from which electricicty was derived. Phoenecians, Etruscans, and Romans traded with the Poles for amber believing it warded off evil spirits. To this day, women in Poland make a point o fwearing amber if they are feeling ill.

Gdansk, a major port on the Baltic since medieval times and a member of the Hanseatic League, has always been a major source of amber jewelry. Artists in Gdansk keep the tradition of hand worked amber and silver jewelry alive by creating jewelry in both traditional and contemporary styles. The works of five artists of Gdansk are here on display. Krystyna Niewodowski designs contemporary style jewelry and is represented by her luminous earrings and matching pendants. Nagiel Meiczyslaw is represented by his art nouveau style rings and necklaces. Adam and Anna Gajewscy make the delicate pendants and errings, in addition to dramatic bracelets and brooches. Piotr Staniewski designs baroque brooches, bracelets, and pendants.