Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age

Amber is a fossilized plant resin found in many areas of the world, such as the Baltic Sea coastline, in Central-and South America and, more rarely, in southern Italy. The following work aims to introduce the reader to some experiments carried out on raw Baltic amber cores, using different technique...

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Main Author: Mauro Fiorentini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EXARC 2022-02-01
Series:EXARC Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10620
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author Mauro Fiorentini
author_facet Mauro Fiorentini
author_sort Mauro Fiorentini
collection DOAJ
description Amber is a fossilized plant resin found in many areas of the world, such as the Baltic Sea coastline, in Central-and South America and, more rarely, in southern Italy. The following work aims to introduce the reader to some experiments carried out on raw Baltic amber cores, using different techniques and tools with the purpose of verifying how effective these tools can be, and any reaction of the amber. All this should confirm or refute some hypotheses regarding amber working in the Picenian context. The amber cores used in this work come from Germany, Estonia, and Poland. The tools used have either been self-produced or made by modifying modern tools. In any case, the main guideline regarding the use of tools was to avoid any modern implement for could not be evidenced or hypothesized in a protohistoric context. There is a single exception to this guideline. That is the use of a blowtorch to heat the other tools, when needed, substituting for an open fire due to safety and practicality reasons.
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spelling doaj.art-248d1e6988f14f10bf9ec7471443829c2024-02-26T15:06:29ZengEXARCEXARC Journal2212-89562022-02-012022/1ark:/88735/10620Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron AgeMauro FiorentiniAmber is a fossilized plant resin found in many areas of the world, such as the Baltic Sea coastline, in Central-and South America and, more rarely, in southern Italy. The following work aims to introduce the reader to some experiments carried out on raw Baltic amber cores, using different techniques and tools with the purpose of verifying how effective these tools can be, and any reaction of the amber. All this should confirm or refute some hypotheses regarding amber working in the Picenian context. The amber cores used in this work come from Germany, Estonia, and Poland. The tools used have either been self-produced or made by modifying modern tools. In any case, the main guideline regarding the use of tools was to avoid any modern implement for could not be evidenced or hypothesized in a protohistoric context. There is a single exception to this guideline. That is the use of a blowtorch to heat the other tools, when needed, substituting for an open fire due to safety and practicality reasons.https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10620iron ageitalyjewelleryamber
spellingShingle Mauro Fiorentini
Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
EXARC Journal
iron age
italy
jewellery
amber
title Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
title_full Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
title_fullStr Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
title_full_unstemmed Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
title_short Experiments and Thoughts on Amber Working during the Iron Age
title_sort experiments and thoughts on amber working during the iron age
topic iron age
italy
jewellery
amber
url https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10620
work_keys_str_mv AT maurofiorentini experimentsandthoughtsonamberworkingduringtheironage