This is a superb piece of  polished Madagascan Copal.
This is a new stock I bought recently and it is MUCH better than a lot of Copal you will see offered.

Copal is often very cloudy and badly polished but this has fantastic polish and very clear inclusions.

Copal is not true Amber - as it is not as old as Amber.

Essentially it is exactly the same substance, apart from the age.
It is the preserved resin from a prehistoric tree.
The magical quality is that insects ( and even sometimes larger creatures such as lizards!) are captured within the resin as it leaks and creeps down...

This Copal was found in Madagascar - and dates to between 10,000 and 200,000 Years old.

It is very hard to date Copal and other Ambers - and some   experts believe it to be dated at up to 2 Million years old.

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This piece measures 5cm long,

It has roughly 10  insects within the Copal - and while small are VERY easy to see when you have it in hand.
There are also some plant inclusions