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Posted on 06/29/2026 9:57:16 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
In the first centuries of the Common Era, far from the Baltic coast where amber naturally occurs, communities in Masovia were producing large quantities of amber jewellery -- leaving behind traces of a craft that has only gradually come to light.
Archaeologists have identified as many as 10 ancient amber workshops across five settlements. In some of them, they uncovered up to 20,000 amber fragments, along with decorative beads and pendants, pointing to production on a significant scale...
At the time, much of present-day Poland was inhabited by communities of the Przeworsk Culture. Known for their advanced craftsmanship, they developed large-scale iron production. In western Masovia, this activity formed the so-called Masovian Metallurgical Centre -- a vast complex of settlements with clear traces of iron smelting.
Research led by Adam Cieśliński of the University of Warsaw and Marcin Woźniak of the Museum of Ancient Masovian Metallurgy shows that alongside metallurgy, another craft was taking shape: amber working.
Excavations conducted since the 1970s have revealed workshops in Biskupice, Izdebno Kościelne, Regów, Tłuste and Wierzbin.
(Excerpt) Read more at scienceinpoland.pl ...
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Amber nuggets and semi-finished amber beads and pendants recently discovered in Poland.Photograph Marcin Woźniak1,700-Year-Old Amber Workshops Identified in Central Poland | Archaeology Magazine | April 29, 2026
Very cool.
What do you suppose a day in the life of an artisan at an amber workshop was like? No alarm clocks...you got up with the sun. Went to work. Did you learn the craft from dad? Were you an apprentice? How were you paid? Did you get a lunch break? Pay taxes? Get sick leave, vacation leave and PTO? How did you know when it was quitting time since there were no clocks? Who bought your goods? How were the sales transacted? How were sales tracked before double-entry bookkeeping? How did you arrange transportation and delivery for your goods? Were there contracts? Delivery schedules? Trade and craft fairs? When you went home, who prepared dinner? Where did you get your clothes?
It’s hard to imagine how such basic things that we take for granted operated in that era.
Quite.
Very Cool
Just hope there weren’t any mosquitoes in the amber.
wy69
I’m wondering if the art and craft of working with amber was passed on, generation to generation. Those artisans may have been ancestors of the artists who created the Amber Room in St. Petersburg.
Workers probably discarded amber that had insect, spider, amphibian or reptile inclusions...
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