Cao Zhen

caozhen0806@126.com

AMBER stones and decorative objects, as well as mineral crystals, are on display at the Shenzhen Museum (of Ancient Art) for visitors to admire the hidden gifts presented by nature.

You can lean forward to observe the insects and leaves that got stuck in the amber stones millions of years ago by using magnifiers provided at the exhibition. Amber is organic, formed from viscous resin of ancient pine trees. It therefore commonly contains insects or plants that got stuck in it and remained there when it hardened. Amber is appreciated for its transparent beauty. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects and jewelry.

“Amber is nature’s time capsule. This fossilized tree resin contains remnants of life on Earth millions of years ago. We hope the exhibition will open a window for visitors to explore the mystery of natural science and amber culture around the world,” said Kong Fanli, director of the Century Amber Museum in Bao’an District that lent the amber stones and decorative objects for the exhibition.

Another kind of hidden gem of nature, mineral crystals, collected by the Wanguo Museum of Jewelry Minerals in Longgang District, are also on display. “Crystals are gifts from nature. They are beautiful rock formations that have amazed humans for thousands of years,” said Chen Huilan, deputy director of the Wanguo Museum of Jewelry Minerals.

The amber exhibition runs until March 10, 2022 while the mineral crystal exhibition ends Dec. 12.