Spanish maps from the mid-1600s refer to the area as the “Costa de Ambar,” or the “Amber Coast.” The origin of the word Ambergris comes from the Old French word ambre gris which translates to ‘gray amber.’ It is believed that the island’s name derives from the word “ambergris,” the term for a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, that washed ashore on the beaches or were found floating in the tropical seas. It was widely sought after and became a lucrative industry for its use in perfume manufacturing during the 17th century.