Amber has accompanied humankind for thousands of years – used as a form of currency, in the creation of ornaments, jewelry, and talismans.
This transparent and durable organic gemstone has fascinated people since prehistoric times, symbolizing prestige and wealth.
Oldest Amber Artifacts
The oldest known amber amulet is over 30,000 years old.
In antiquity and the Middle Ages, amber was one of the most desired materials and was known in many parts of the world.
Amber jewelry has been found in numerous tombs, including that of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt.
Amber in Ancient Greece
Amber appeared in Greece around 1800 BC and was called the “holy stone.”
The Greeks observed that when rubbed with cloth, amber attracted light objects – a phenomenon they considered magical.
The word “electricity” derives from the Greek name for amber – electron.
The Amber Road – Baltic Gold on Its Way to Rome
Since ancient times, amber from the Baltic coast reached Rome via the famous Amber Road.
During the reign of Emperor Nero, amber and amber jewelry were highly fashionable – used for amulets, decorative elements, and luxury goods.
According to ancient Roman and Greek writers, amber was imported from the lands of the Lugii and the Veneti, located by the Baltic Sea – the territory of present-day Poland.
Roman Expeditions for Amber
At first, the Romans traded for amber through tribes along the Danube, but over time, they began organizing their own expeditions.
One of the earliest was described by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD, when Emperor Nero sent an envoy to the uncharted Baltic coast to bring back the precious gem.
The mission was a success – large quantities of amber were brought to Rome.
Trade and Archaeological Discoveries
Nero’s expedition sparked a flourishing amber trade.
Merchants traveled north with pack animals and wagons along trade routes that archaeologists have since reconstructed.
In Wrocław, Poland, a warehouse from the 1st century BC was discovered containing around 1,500 kg of amber.
The Route of the Amber Road
The Amber Road began in northern Italy, in Aquileia, then crossed the Alps and the Danube Valley.
Near the Moravian Gate or the Kłodzko Valley, it entered the lands of present-day Poland, passing through Opole and Kalisz on its way to the Baltic Sea – somewhere between modern-day Gdańsk and Kaliningrad.