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International audience; The molecular composition of 10 Cretaceous andone Eocene ambers from France was analyzed by infraredspectroscopy, solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy,and thermochemolysis gas chromatography−massspectrometry. The terpenoids identified in the samples wereused as biomarkers for the botanical origin of the resins. TheCretaceous samples, comprising the so-called Alpine, Anjou,Charentese, Provence, Pyrenean, and Vendean ambers, rangedfrom the Albian−Cenomanian transition to the early Santonian(100 to 85 Ma) and correspond to class Ib resins typical ofconifers. The extinct conifer family Cheirolepidiaceae wasproposed as the plant source of Pyrenean and brown Charenteseambers. Araucariaceae or Cheirolepidiaceae were the plant sourcesof the Cenomanian Alpine, Anjou, and yellow Charentese ambers.The Santonian ambers of Provence and Vendée were found to derive from the Cupressaceae. The Eocene Oise amber (ca. 53Ma) is a class Ic resin typical of angiosperms and was produced by a Fabaceae. The evolution of resin sources from the earlyCretaceous to the Eocene periods is discussed. Finally, a possible fingerprint hitherto unveiled is proposed for cheirolepidiaceousresins, defined by the simultaneous presence of phenolic diterpenoids, labdanoic acids, callitrisate structures, and their respectivederivatives.

A new “ephemeral” Neocomian amber deposit is discovered in Fanar (Central Lebanon), a close suburb of the capital Beirut. The amber of this outcrop is characterized then analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Palynological analysis of amber-bearing sediments is conducted, enabling date information and palaeoenvironment reconstruction. The FT-IR spectrum of the amber from Fanar outcrops demonstrates clearly that this amber is characterized by similar features as the remaining Lower Cretaceous ambers collected in Lebanon. The site history, site palynology, palynofacies, marine palynomorphs and continental palynomorphs are also described in detail. Finally the chapter concludes that the outcrops in Lebanon are not officially protected and a number of them are continuously lost due to “civilization” impact. Keywords:central Lebanon; continental palynomorphs; Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrum; marine palynomorphs; Neocomian amber deposit; palaeoenvironment reconstruction