The analysis of European amber is reported by ¹3</sup>C-NMR directly on solid samples. Two major types are defined, depending on the appearance of the alkene resonances. Baltic amber (succinite) has a pronounced resonance from an exomethylene group. The southerly ambers (rumanite, schraufite, walchowite, delatynite, and true simetites) lack the exomethylene resonance. The succinite group gives spectra consistent with a labdane-type precursor and the reumanite-like ambers give spectra consistent with an abietane-type precursor. These results are explained by at least 2 different palaeobotanical sources of the fossil resins.