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Ambergris is a waxy, aromatic substance extracted from the sperm whale and used in perfumes, incense, traditional remedies, and art.
Types of Ambergris:
- White or gray ambergris: High quality with a distinctive aroma.
- Standard ambergris: Brown or dark gray, of lower quality.
- Black ambergris: The lowest quality and largest in size, but it becomes rarer with age.
- Whale liver ambergris: Very rare, brown to black in color, with a strong aroma.
- Ambergris oil: Extracted from the skull and used in perfume blends with labdanum flowers.
How is ambergris formed? When sperm whales consume large quantities of squid, they find it difficult to digest. This results in the production of ambergris, a mixture of organic materials, which they then expel from their bodies. It floats in the ocean and is affected by sea salt and the surrounding environment.
**Chemical Properties of Ambergris:**
- Contains amber, the substance responsible for its distinctive aroma.
- Non-volatile, soluble in alcohol, and softens at low temperatures.
**Origins:**
Found in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Morocco, Palestine, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the coasts of Africa.
**Economic Importance of Ambergris:**
Used in luxury perfumes, incense, cigarettes, jewelry, artwork, and cosmetics.
Its value is determined based on color, aroma, hardness, and moisture content. White ambergris is the most expensive. In 1908, a 455 kg piece of ambergris sold for €23,000. Today, it can be worth more than €10 million.
How to distinguish genuine ambergris? When a needle is heated and touched, if it is genuine, it will melt and release an oily, musky scent. If it is fake, it will turn a white, waxy color and have an unpleasant odor.
Traditional mummification: In some cultures, ambergris has been preserved for thousands of years using special resins and acids and stored in earthenware jars to protect it for generations.
Message 2: Ambergris
Greetings to you all. I wanted to share this information about ambergris with you.
Amberbergris is defined as a waxy substance with a strong, aromatic scent, extracted from a specific type of whale called the sperm whale.
(Sperm whale) The discovery of ambergris dates back to 1000 BC by Africans. The Chinese also knew of it around the same time and attributed it to their dragon myth, believing ambergris to be dragon saliva. In the 10th century AD, Ibn Hawqal mentioned the importance of ambergris and its numerous benefits in his writings. Ambergris was used in Rome and the Near East for perfumery and medicine, while the inhabitants of Asia used it in cooking, perfumery, incense, and even medicine and healing.
Types of Ambergris
Amber is classified into several types based on its time on the ocean surface:
- White or Gray Ambergris: This type of ambergris is white or grayish-white in color. This color results from the oxidation of the outer surface of the ambergris by sea salts. It is found in small pieces and is distinguished by its unique, high-quality aroma.
- Standard ambergris is brown or dark gray in color and has layers inside. It is distinguished by its pleasant aroma and is of lower quality than white ambergris. It is not whale liver ambergris, but rather ambergris from the whale's stomach, which is black.
- Black ambergris is the lowest quality and largest of the three types of ambergris. Black ambergris is the shortest-lived type, characterized by its softness and tendency to crumble. White ambergris is the oldest type, characterized by its dryness and tendency to break. The reason for the decrease in size of ambergris over time is that it loses a significant portion of its volume as it dries. It can lose 60-70% of its original size. We also have what is called ambergris, which comes exclusively from the whale's liver. Its color ranges from brown to black, and it has a strong odor, ranging from pleasant to slightly unpleasant, depending on the species.
- Ambergris oil is black or clear yellow and is mixed with the European labdanum flower to create a dark, exquisitely fragrant mixture. The ambergris fat that comes from its skull is red and is called fatty ambergris.
Extracting Ambergris
The sperm whale is found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. Its current population is estimated at only about one hundred thousand whales. Its weight ranges between 35-45 tons, and its length ranges between 15-18 meters. The sperm whale is also distinguished by its massive head, which is filled with oil and fat that makes up more than a third of its total weight. It helps the whale stay afloat when diving to great depths, and it also acts as an acoustic lens, focusing sound waves to locate its peers and prey. The sperm whale feeds primarily on fish and squid, requiring approximately 907 kilograms of food per day.
Amberjack is formed when squid enters the sperm whale's intestines in large quantities, which the whale finds difficult to digest. Ambergris then forms as a mixture of squid, ambrein, and another digestive substance called epicoprostanol, which is later excreted from the whale's body.
Chemical Properties of Ambergris
- Ambergris is a non-volatile aromatic substance.
Ambergris consists of: 25-45% ambrin (molecular formula C23H39OH), which gives ambergris its distinctive properties and odor; 30-40% cuprostanol; 3-4% cuprostanone; 1-5% cupristol; 0.1% cholesterol; and 2-4% pristinates.
It contains 3-4% ketones, 5-8% free acids, and approximately 10-16% components insoluble in ether compounds.
Amber softens at 6 degrees Celsius and melts in boiling water.
Amber is completely soluble in alcohols.
Locations Where Amber May Be Found
Amber is found primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, with increased chances of finding it on the shores of the Bahamas, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Bermuda, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, the Maldives, the Philippines, and Pacific islands. It is also found on the shores of Africa, particularly in the Maghreb and Mediterranean regions, including Palestine, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and other countries.
Economic Importance of Amber
Amber is highly valued, and those who find it at sea are considered fortunate. Ambergris is found in solid pieces ranging in weight from 0.1 to 10 kg. It is rare to find pieces larger than 10 kg. In 1908, a massive piece of ambergris weighing approximately 455 kg was discovered and sold for around €23,000, which would be worth over €10 million today. Ambergris has been a key ingredient in many industries throughout history, including:
- Incense production.
- Perfumery, due to its ability to retain fragrance for extended periods.
- Cigarette production, where it was used to enhance the aroma of cigarettes in the past.
- Cosmetics.
- Jewelry making, such as prayer beads and the chains worn by Christian monks.
-Art is created by blending ambergris, especially whale liver and white ambergris, with paintings, artworks, and even ambergris oil.
Amber is priced by companies specializing in it based on several factors, most importantly: color, scent, hardness, and moisture content. Pure white ambergris with a fragrant scent is the most expensive, followed by light-colored ambergris with a distinctive scent, then medium-colored ambergris, then dark-colored ambergris, then solid black ambergris with a pleasant scent, then solid black ambergris, followed by soft black ambergris with a pleasant scent, and finally soft black ambergris, which is the least expensive.
Health Benefits of Ambergris
Sometimes, many people adulterate ambergris by adding plaster and wax. Genuine ambergris can be verified by heating a needle and touching it to the surface of the ambergris. If it is genuine ambergris, the surface will completely dissolve, producing a black, oily substance with a scent resembling musk or a pungent, bloody, musky odor. If it is not genuine, it will reveal a white waxy color and emit an unpleasant waxy smell, and its color will immediately change.
For thousands of years, ambergris has been preserved in some countries by layering it with special non-amino resins and acids and placing it inside pottery to maintain its properties for hundreds of years.
Consultant Mohammed Abu Jassim Al-Azza
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with pride
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{ arabic ? 'غير متوفر حاليا' : 'Out of stock'}
