Last month, a stranded sperm whale appeared on the beach of Nogales on the Canary Islands island of La Palma. Zoologists found the stranded sperm whale had a "stone" in its colon that was about 50 to 60 centimeters in diameter and weighed 9.5 kilograms. It was identified as a piece of ambergris, worth 500,000 euros (about 3.92 million yuan).
Ambergris is a rare substance, known as "floating gold". It is a solid, waxy, combustible substance that is silvery-gray or black in color, and is known for its distinctive sweet, earthy aroma.
The exact origin of ambergris remains a mystery to scientists. Publicly available information indicates that ambergris is essentially a dried product of the intestinal secretions of the sperm whale, a member of the sperm whale family. The whales ate large quantities of squid and cuttlefish, most of which could not be digested and were spat out. But some remains, and over the years binds together in the whale's intestines to form ambergris.
Some sperm whales spit it out, others expel it from their intestines, and only a few keep it in their bodies. There have been times when the ambergris has been so large that it has caused the whale's intestines to rupture and kill it.
Ambergris is initially black and soft, with an unpleasant odor, and then hardens and turns brownish-yellow or grayish-white as it is washed by the sun, air, and sea over the years. Legend has it that some people witnessed a group of whales moving in the area where the ambergris was produced, and speculated that it was the result of whale saliva, hence the name "ambergris".
Because it can only be formed naturally. And the formation of the odds are extremely small. So it is very rare.
Ambergris is one of the four famous incense, history is mainly used as a perfume fixative.
Ambergris, as one of the four famous incense in China's history, has always been the ancient emperors exclusively. In history, Song Huizong was the first emperor to use it, and then it has been used by successive emperors. Therefore, the ancients mentioned ambergris will be associated with the emperor.
Inside the novel or ancient costume drama, ambergris represents the emperor out. In one paragraph of "The Record of Dreams", it is said that Zhao Pan'er recognized the officials by the ambergris incense on their bodies and their demeanor.
Ambergris in Western perfumery is mainly used in fine perfumes as a fixative, which does not affect the original aroma and enhances the scent of other spices.
In addition to this, the Middle East also buys ambergris at a high price, and uses it to make traditional oils and balms, as well as burning it with incense, while the Israelis collect the precious ambergris and bring it back to the Holy Land to be worshipped, because ambergris is the spice that was used in the ancient marriage of King Solomon, and it's just as sacred as frankincense.
But more ambergris is also used in expensive perfumes, it is the same as musk, reindeer incense, recognized as the best fixative, adding ambergris, the perfume lasts longer, the top and bottom notes of the change is also more obvious.
Modern analytical chemistry states that ambergris is composed of derived poly-terpenes, a rubber-like substance. Various of these components have a refreshing aroma (a number of the flowers' scents, as well as the resin's fresh aroma, are formed precisely because of their terpene compounds).
Ambergris can now be synthesized in its entirety. However, this mixture cannot completely replace natural ambergris. Natural ambergris is essential to the manufacture of fine perfumes, and ambergris, the main component of ambergris, is soluble in ethanol. When added to perfume, it forms a film on the skin. Layer of film, this layer of film can make the perfume odor will not spread quickly, in order to achieve the purpose of lasting fragrance.
In addition, ambergris is also a valuable Chinese medicine, with phlegm, knot, qi, blood effect. In the Compendium of Materia Medica, it is also written that ambergris can "invigorate the blood, benefit the essence, help the yang channel, and facilitate the flow of blood".
Also, according to the New York Post, the British Museum of Natural History said that ambergris was used in early Arabian culture as a treatment for many ailments, including diseases of the brain, heart, and senses, and was also used as an aphrodisiac.
Of course, we don't know the efficacy of the drug, after all, it's an ancient remedy.
Finally, there is a hot knowledge: in order to protect whales, many countries have banned the trade of ambergris.
Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), it's illegal to kill sperm whales almost anywhere on the planet, and sperm whales are listed as endangered mammals.