Baltai ir gintaras

Abstract

The article describes amber decorations and other artifacts made by the Balts, as well as the trade relations between the Balts and their northern and southern neighbors in the Early Neolithic period. The author affirms that during the Bronze Age amber was mainly exchanged for copper alloy. To emphasize the impor-tance of amber trade, a special term the Amber Road has been introduced. The author indicates that the main amber trade route started at the Baltic seaside, then continued into the lower Vistula and reached the Danube by the Varta and the upper Order rivers and along their borders through Bohemia and Moravia. At this point the road branched off: one reached Greece, Peloponnesus and Crete, the other - northern Italy through the Alps. Another amber route from the Baltic Sea was by land till the Dnieper, later through the Don estuary into the Caucasus, the eastern regions of the Black Sea, and the southwestern parts of the Caspian Sea. Amber artifacts are also found in the mid Caucasus, Osetia, and Asia Minor. The author is of the opinion that amber became especially important in the period of the Roman Empire because due to amber the Balts came into contact with Roman writers and historians. Plinius the Senior (23-79 AD), Cornelius Tacitus (55- 58-117-120), and others described their occupations, living places, customs, and traditions. Because of the amber road, Roman artifacts appeared in the Baltic territories what could be proved by Dauglaukis burial ground where many Roman artifacts were uncovered. The author comes to conclusion that amber as the object of trade and exchange remained important in the Old Iron Age as well.