Amber Road

Quick Facts: Who was Amber Road?

Subject:

Amber Road

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Ancient trade route connecting Baltic amber sources to the Mediterranean Sea.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Amber Road was an ancient trade route for the transfer of amber from coastal areas of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Prehistoric trade routes between Northern and Southern Europe were defined by the amber trade. As an important commodity, sometimes dubbed "the gold of the north", amber was transported from the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts overland by way of the Vistula and Dnieper rivers to Italy, Greece, the Black Sea, Syria and Egypt over a period of thousands of years. The route developed into an important trading and military route for the Roman Empire, and also formed the basis of several present-day transport routes. The oldest trade in amber started from Sicily.

Career & Major Achievements

The Sicilian amber trade was directed to Greece, North Africa and Spain. Sicilian amber was also discovered in Mycenae by the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, and it appeared in sites in southern Spain and Portugal. Its distribution is similar to that of ivory, so it is possible that amber from Sicily reached the Iberian Peninsula through contacts with North Africa. After a decline in the consumption and trade of amber at the beginning of the Bronze Age, around 2000 BC, the influence of Baltic amber gradually took the place of Sicilian amber throughout the Iberian Peninsula from around 1000 BC. The new evidence comes from various archaeological and geological locations on the Iberian Peninsula.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

From at least the 16th century BC, amber was moved from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean area. The breast ornament of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen (c. 1333–1324 BC) contains large Baltic amber beads. Schliemann found Baltic amber beads at Mycenae, as shown by spectroscopic investigation. The quantity of amber in the Royal Hypogeum of Qatna, in Syria, is unparalleled among known second millennium BC sites in the Levant and the Ancient Near East. Amber was sent from the North Sea to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi as an offering.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1333: 1333 Milestone — 1333–1324 BC) contains large Baltic amber beads.
2. 2000: 2000 Milestone — After a decline in the consumption and trade of amber at the beginning of the Bronze Age, around 2000 BC, the influence of Baltic amber gradually took the place of Sicilian amber throughout the Iberian Peninsula from around 1000 BC.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Amber Road

True or False: “The Amber Road was primarily used for transporting Roman military supplies like iron and bronze.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While it became a military route, the primary commodity traded along the Amber Road was amber itself, not manufactured metals.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Amber Road