Copal
Copalis a treeresin,particularly the aromatic resins from the copal treeProtium copal(Burseraceae) used by the cultures ofpre-ColumbianMesoamericaas ceremonially burnedincenseand for other purposes.[1]More generally, copal includes resinous substances in an intermediate stage ofpolymerizationand hardening between "gummier" resins andamber.[2]Copal that is partly mineralized is known ascopaline.
It is available in different forms; the hard, amber-like yellow copal is a less expensive version, while the milky-white copal is more expensive.[citation needed]
Etymology[edit]
The word "copal" is derived from theNahuatl languagewordcopalli,meaning "incense".
History and uses[edit]
Subfossil copal is well known fromNew Zealand(kauri gumfromAgathis australis(Araucariaceae)),Japan,theDominican Republic,Colombia,andMadagascar.It often has inclusions and is sometimes sold as "young amber". When it is treated or enhanced in anautoclave(as is sometimes done to industrialized Baltic amber[3]) it is used for jewelry. In its natural condition copal can be easily distinguished from old amber by its lighter citrine colour and its surface getting tacky with a drop ofacetoneorchloroform.[4]Copal resin fromHymenaea verrucosa(Fabaceae) is found inEast Africaand is used in incense. East Africa apparently had a higher amount ofsubfossilcopal, which is found one or two meters below living copal trees, from roots of trees that may have lived thousands of years earlier. This subfossil copal produces a harder varnish.
By the 18th century, Europeans found it to be a valuable ingredient in making a good woodvarnish.It became widely used in the manufacture of furniture and carriages. It was also sometimes used as a picture varnish.[5]By the late 19th and early 20th century, varnish manufacturers in England and America were using it on train carriages, greatly swelling its demand. In 1859, Americans consumed 68% of the East African trade, which was controlled through the Sultan ofZanzibar,with Germany receiving 24%. TheAmerican Civil Warand the creation of theSuez Canalled to Germany, India, and Hong Kong taking the majority by the end of that century.[6]
Copal is still used by a number ofindigenous peoples of MexicoandCentral Americaas an incense, duringsweat lodgeceremonies and sacred mushroom ceremonies.[1]
References[edit]
- ^abStross (1997).
- ^Platt (1998).
- ^Hoffeins (2012).
- ^Grimaldi (1996),pp. 16–20.
- ^Mayer (1976),pp. 194–196.
- ^Sunseri (2009),pp. 10–12.
Sources[edit]
- Grimaldi, David (1996).Amber: Window to the Past.American Museum of Natural History.
- Hoffeins, Christel (1 June 2012)."On Baltic amber inclusions treated in an autoclave".Polish Journal of Entomology / Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne.81(2): 165–183.doi:10.2478/v10200-012-0005-z.
- Mayer, Ralph (1976).The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques.New York: Viking.
- Platt, Gary (6 June 1998)."Types of Amber, Copal & Resin".Archived fromthe originalon 25 February 2010.
- Stross, Brian (1997)."Mesoamerican Copal Resins".U Mut Maya.6:177–186. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2015 – via University of Texas at Austin.
- Sunseri, Thaddeus (2009).Wielding the Ax: State Forestry and Social Conflict in Tanzania, 1820-2000.
Further reading[edit]
- .Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 7 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 94.
