Sumatran Amber

Sumatran amber comes from Telisa (lower-mid Miocene, possibly upper Oligocene at its base), Lower Palembang (mid-Miocene), and Middle Palembang (upper Miocene) Formations. Because the provenance of the pieces are uncertain, their stratigraphic position is unknown (FossilWorks).

This amber is a byproduct of coal mining, and different ages ranging from Eocene to Pliocene have been recorded for these coal mines (Belkin & Tewalt 2007; Bak et al. 2016). Previous reports of Sumatran amber, although from different localities, suggested an early Miocene age and a dipterocarp tree source (Durham 1956; Langenheim & Beck 1965; Brackman et al. 1984; Lambert et al. 1999, 2013).