It had everyone guessing centuries ago with its vibrant shade and unusual markings. To explain the gemstones origin many legends were passed on that told tales of love, loss and tragedy. Fascinated by these extraordinary, golden stones discovered on the shore led to magical stories that gave Amber such mystical properties.
A Healing Gem
Amber has been around for a long time with the first documented use to be 13,000 years ago during the Stone Age. The fiery gem was used for medicinal and healing purposes as well as decorative designs. Evidence of Amber being used in sculptures, jewellery and ceremonial pieces have been found across the globe, showing that the stone has a very rich heritage that was heavily traded due to its popularity.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, Amber was used as a natural way to heal especially to reduce inflammation. It was a successful method that was used up until the 20th century when other treatments became more effective.
The Amber Road
Amber connected countries from all over the world. Only discovered in specific areas on the map, many felt that this beautiful, luxury item deserved the long, difficult journey to transport it across the globe. Beginning at the Baltic Sea, the ancient trade route can be traced to the Elbe River and along the Danube delivering Amber all over Europe and even to Asia.
The golden gem is one of the oldest items to be commercially traded. The demand for Amber lasted for centuries. It all started in the Palaeolithic period with archeologists discovering Amber pendants and what’s left of Amber workshops in the Neolithic period as well as amber caches under the foundations of houses to presumably bring good fortune.
To be exact, the ancient amber road begins in Northern Europe and to begin with is transported by water through many countries.
- Jutland to the Elbe
- West Pomerania (now mostly Germany) to the Oder (river in Central Europe)
- Through Bohemia (now Czech Republic)
- Through Pomerania (now Poland and Germany) to the Vistula
- From Samland Peninsula to the Black Sea coast
- The route then takes to land going over the Brenner Pass to Italy
Due to the ancient trade routes that were brought back by the Celts, Amber has been discovered in tombs of Mycenae in Greece and Tutankhamun in Egypt. A bit closer to home, an Amber cup was uncovered in a burial mound in Brighton. It just goes to show how important Amber was all those centuries ago.
Amber Through The Ages
Over time, Amber has been used in many different ways but always has been highly valued. The Roman Empire became the centre of the Amber industry by the 1st century AD. It was highly valued during this time using the fiery gem as currency and in arenas. Apparently, it was worth more than a slave! During The Middle Ages, Amber was carved into crosses due to the introduction of Christianity. The Teutonic Knights restricted the trade of Amber creating a ban on people owning the raw, beautiful gem. They had complete control over who bought it creating a network that worked in their favour. It all changed when the Teutonic Order lost Gdansk Pomerania after losing the Thirteen Year War.
The Gdansk amber guild was founded in 1477, which consisted of a large number of Amber craftsmen. They signed a contract with the king of Poland, the Gdansk city council and the grandmaster of the Teutonic Order to acquire a huge amount of Sambian amber. The guild continued to grow over the years and finished in 1725 when access to raw Amber became an issue and interest around Europe declined due to the development of the rococo art style.
Amber has a rich history that spans centuries. It has connected the world and travelled by water and land across the globe. The demand for the beautiful gem has been huge throughout the past and remains highly sought after to this day.
