Amber and fossil insects at the Naturkundemuseum Stuttgart

Size and focus of the collection: Approximately 30.000 specimens and inclusions (especially arthropods in amber from the Dominican Republic, Lebanon and from the Baltic region), which mainly have been acquired and collected by Dr. D. Schlee in 1976- 1996.

Scientific importance of the collection: One of the most important scientific amber collections with unique inclusions of plants and animals, especially insects. The main focus is a very large collection of amber from the Dominican Republic (Eocene till Miocene), as well as the largest collection of amber from the Lower Cretaceous of Lebanon known thus far. Numerous important specimens, such as the biggest piece of amber in the world from Borneo (Miocene), a bird feather in Lebanon amber (Lower Cretaceous), frogs and reptiles in Dominican amber, specimens with mass catches of insects, as well as the world's largest collection of damselflies and dragonflies in amber.

Easy-language version

Amber collection

The collection has about 30,000 specimens and inclusions.

An inclusion is a plant or animal trapped inside amber.

Most inclusions are arthropods. Arthropods include insects, spiders, and similar animals.

The amber comes from:

• the Dominican Republic,
• Lebanon,
• the Baltic region.

Dr D. Schlee bought and collected most of the material. He did this between 1976 and 1996.

Scientific importance

This is one of the most important scientific amber collections.

It contains rare and unique plants and animals in amber. Many of them are insects.

A main part of the collection is amber from the Dominican Republic. This amber is from the Eocene and Miocene periods.

The collection also has the largest known collection of amber from Lebanon. This amber comes from the Early Cretaceous period.

Special specimens

The collection includes many important specimens. For example:

• the world’s largest piece of amber, from Borneo,
• a bird feather in amber from Lebanon,
• frogs and reptiles in amber from the Dominican Republic,
• amber with many insects trapped together,
• the world’s largest collection of damselflies and dragonflies in amber.

The amber from Borneo is from the Miocene period.

The amber from Lebanon is from the Early Cretaceous period.

Glossary

Amber
Amber is fossilised tree resin. Tree resin is a sticky substance from trees.

Arthropods
Arthropods are animals with a hard outer body covering and jointed legs. They include insects and spiders.

Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country in the Caribbean.

Eocene
The Eocene is a period in Earth’s history. It lasted from about 56 to 34 million years ago.

Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous is a period in Earth’s history. It lasted from about 145 to 100 million years ago.

Inclusion
An inclusion is a plant or animal trapped in amber.

Miocene
The Miocene is a period in Earth’s history. It lasted from about 23 to 5 million years ago.