Amber Artifacts of the Roman Iron Age

During the Roman Iron Age, the Baltic peoples of Lithuania started wearing amber beads in the period
B2/Cl-Clb. Based on 1986 data, over a hundred amber beads dated to the Roman Iron Age have been found
at thirteen burial sites in western Lithuania, the lower Nemunas region, and central Lithuania. More
necklaces of amber, Baltic amber rings and other beads have recently been found in burials of the Roman
period at the Baitai, Banduziai, Dauglaukis, Lazdininkai, Marvele, Pleskuciai-Pangesai, Pajuostis, Pakalniai,
Saukenai and other cemeteries. But these recent data do not alter previously established tendencies of placing
amber into graves in the Roman Iron Age (Michelbertas 1968, 87; 1986, 106; Tautavicius 1996, 186-188).
Throughout the Roman Iron Age, amber beads were scarce. As Marija Gimbutas wrote, 'there are no amber
beads in the land of amber'. Amber artifacts in greatest number are known outside the source-area. In the
Roman Iron Age, a few amber beads would be strung together with monochrome, coloured, multicoloured,
and gilt beads of glass, enamel, or bronze. Longer strings of amber beads and bronze spirals are found very
sparsely, mostly on the Baltic Sea cost and the lower River Nemunas region (Palanga, grave 11; Baitai,
graves 2, 8, 18, 22; Lazdininkai, 1996 excavations, grave 20; Dauglaukis, grave 1; Saukenai, grave 50).
Traditional Roman Iron Age shapes for amber beads were truncated biconical or flattened spherical. Amber
beads of flat Amber spindles are almost exclusively found in the cemeteries of coastal Lithuania. Alongside
with other tools placed next to the buried person's head, amber spindles of cylindrical form have also been
found at the Lithuanian cemeteries dated to the 5th—6th centuries. Some single amber spindles have been
found in the lower Nemunas region (Vidgiriai, grave 72) and in the Samogitian cemeteries (Pagrybis, grave
33, and loose finds). Most of the spindles have a cylindrical shape and arc not decorated. Dots or small
incisions decorate some of the specimens, often in lines radiating from a central point. Most of spindles are
finds from the Lazdininkai cemetery (1949 excavations, graves 1(5, 46, 63, 65, 67; 1998 excavations, grave
37).
, Raw amberis sometimes found in graves dated to the 5th-6th centuries.. The positioning of raw amber
pieces largely determines what significance is attributed to their presence in the grave. They are found in
different positions: next to the head (Lieporiai, grave 77, Uzpelkiai, grave 94), on the chest (Lazdininkai,
1940 excavations, grave 39; Pagrybis, male grave 134), or in the area of the pelvis (Maudziorai, female grave
175; Uzpelkiai, male graves 16, 55, female grave 84). Raw amber found in the Lieporiai cemetery, male
grave 6, was located next to the chin. A noteworthy'piece of natural raw amber was found in female grave 84
at the Uzpelkiai cemetery. It had a natural cavity in it, and through that opening it was tied to a sash in the
fashion of an amulet.