COPAL - containing spiders and insects - Madagascar

COPAL - CONTAINING SPIDERS AND INSECTS

Large, unpolished piece

Madagascar

Copal is the name given to ancient tree resin that is similar to amber but much younger. Because of its younger age it is in an intermediate stage of hardening, or polymerisation, between the ‘gummier’ tree resins and amber. It also has a much lower melting point than amber.

The copal used for jewellery today comes from many parts of the world and is of various ages, usually up to 50,000 years old. Like amber, it sometimes contains insects that were trapped when the resin was freshly extruded from the tree.