Large, 70-kilogram blocks identified as Rosin substance - Odd, 70-kilogram findings identified as colophony
NORTH SEA MYSTERY: ANIMAL FISHERMEN'S CATCH TURNS OUT TO BE COLOPHONY
The hope of a bountiful catch in the North Sea by crab fishermen was thwarted after a 70-100 kilogram stone was pulled from the water. Initially, the fishermen believed they had discovered amber, but after further investigation, it was revealed that the chunk was actually colophony, a resin obtained from trees.
Crab fisherman André Claußsen, who discovered the heavy stone in April, expressed some disappointment, stating that the find was not unexpected. The German Press Agency reported that Claußsen had suspected the chunk was not amber after he noticed it smelled like tree resin, crumbled easily, and had a slight brownish hue. He reasoned that it was too large to be whale vomit, known colloquially as ambergris.
Claußsen had initially hoped that the find could have been valuable. The weight of the stone caused his nets to burst and resulted in a reported damage of around 1,000 euros. The chunk is currently being stored in a fisherman's warehouse.
The Alfred-Wegener-Institut in Bremerhaven confirmed the resin's identity. In the past, sailing ships transported large quantities of colophony, using it for various purposes such as wood preservation, fishing industry applications, and the manufacturing of violin bows and electronics. The fishermen suspect that their find originated from an old cargo that was lost overboard and eventually made its way to their net.
Historically, colophony has been a vital component in the production of naval stores, which include varnishes, caulking materials, adhesives, and other materials essential for waterproofing and preserving wooden ships. Being a major shipping route for centuries, the North Sea could potentially have found itself the inadvertent resting place for lost or jettisoned cargo from sunken vessels, as was the case with the colophony chunk discovered by Claußsen and his team.
- North Sea
- Colophony
- Crab fisherman
- German Press Agency
- Ambergris (mentioned but not essential)
[1] Historic and Industrial Uses of Colophony:https://www.britannica.com/technology/colophony[2] Naval Stores: Historical Perspective and Modern Applications:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148103000293
In short, the unexpected discovery in the North Sea was found to be colophony, a naturally occurring resin with historical industrial importance. It is believed to have originated from a previous shipboard cargo and was eventually uncovered after being lost or discarded.
- The North Sea, once a significant shipping route, might have accidentally preserved a piece of industrial history, as the colophony discovered by the crab fisherman could have originated from an old cargo lost overboard.
- The discovery of colophony, a resin known for its historical and industrial uses, could potentially open the door for further exploration and understanding of the North Sea's past, especially in relation to the maritime industry.
- Vocational training programs focusing on environmental science and finance, in collaboration with the industry, could benefit from this event by studying the historical usage and modern applications of natural resources like colophony, playing a key role in climate-change mitigation efforts and resource management.
