CHIAPAS AMBER 
One of the smaller, but potentially very significant, 
deposits of amber occurs in the state of Chiapas in south- 
ern Mexico. It has remained unknown largely because 
it occurs in a fairly inaccessible tropical region inhabited 
primarily by Indians. The amber has been noted in 
mineralogical discussions (Helm, 1891; Kunz, 19038; 
Tschirch, 1906; Hintze, 1983; Buddue, 1935; Tschirch 
and Stock, 1936) but not described physically and chemi- 
cally in detail. The geologic occurrence was first recorded 
in 1905 by Bose. A coordinated scientific investigation 
was initiated by entomologists from the University of 
California at Berkeley in 1953, after receiving evidence 
that the material contained abundantinsect remains 
(Duby, 1957; Hurd and Smith, 1957; Hurd, Smith and 
Durham, 1962). 
There are many indications that Chiapas amber was 
utilized for ornaments in pre-Columbian times (Blom, 
1959). Amber found in one of the tombs at Monte AI- 
ban, Oaxaca, most likely came from Chiapas. The amber 
became known to the Spaniards almost at their first en- 
couriter with the Indians in Chiapas. Fray Tomas de la 
Torre reported in 1554 that the Indians had the cartilage 
of their nose opened and inserted a bead of amber that 
made their noses stick out like trunks. Fray Alonso 
Ponce stated in 1586 that there were mines of yellow, 
transparent amber from which the natives made rosaries 
and other objects. Furthermore, an expedition into the 
Lacandon forest in 1695-96 reported that the women 
used amber for earrings, nose ornaments and rosaries. 
The amber was sufficiently prized by the Aztecs that 
traveling merchants disguised themselves to barter for it 
before the conquest of Tzinacatlan. Tzinacatlan (Zina- 
cantan) was the most important trade center, and the 
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