The Amber Lands in the Time of the Roman Empire

The southeast Baltic region, the Amber Lands, remains the largest known source of natural amber in the world. This study focuses on the region during the early 2nd millennium AD and explores the cultural and spiritual life of those living there through their material culture. Material from 70 cemeteries, including 597 funerary assemblages, are examine typologically and chronologically although there is little domestic settlement evidence to place them in context. The nature of trade in amber during this period, and the routes by which it was transported to other areas, are discussed. Kulakov's analysis of the grave goods demonstrates how the diverse ethnic mix of the various, largely German, tribes inhabiting this area are reflected in the funerary evidence.