Amber Processing and Exchange at the La Tène Culture Settlement in Samborowice (Pow. Racibórz / PL)

Abstract

Amber Processing and Exchange at the La Tène Culture Settlement in Samborowice (Pow. Racibórz / PL)
Amber ornaments and traces of raw amber processing were discovered during fieldwork in two settlements located in Samborowice, Upper Silesia. Based on the accompanying finds (pottery, glass, metal ornaments and parts of clothing), they can be dated back to the early stages of the Middle La Tène period. The finds come from the well-preserved remains of buildings, which indicate that the people who lived there took part in trade directed towards both the south – fellow Celtic communities of the Carpathian Basin – as well as to the north – communities of the Germanic cultural circle. Some of the amber objects presented in this work were made using a lathe, indicating considerable sophistication on the part of local amber craftsmen.