The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC

Amber ornament manufacturing tradition in Lithuanian territory was established at the end of the Stone Age, c. 4th–3rd millennium cal BC. According to excavated sites in western Lithuania, this period demonstrates a variety of different amber ornament types. Button-shaped amber beads are one of...

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Main Authors: Dalia Ostrauskienė, Gvidas Slah, Tomas Rimkus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius Academy of Arts Press 2024-12-01
Series:Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis
Subjects:
Online Access:https://aaav.vda.lt/journal/article/view/288
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author Dalia Ostrauskienė
Gvidas Slah
Tomas Rimkus
author_facet Dalia Ostrauskienė
Gvidas Slah
Tomas Rimkus
author_sort Dalia Ostrauskienė
collection DOAJ
description Amber ornament manufacturing tradition in Lithuanian territory was established at the end of the Stone Age, c. 4th–3rd millennium cal BC. According to excavated sites in western Lithuania, this period demonstrates a variety of different amber ornament types. Button-shaped amber beads are one of these. This study presents an analysis of 35 such beads from three Stone Age sites in western Lithuania. Microscopic investigation was used to determine the production stages and techniques of oval, square, and boat-shaped beads. Results show that the manufacturing process for most of the analysed material is similar, but in some cases (e.g. boat-shaped buttons), it differs. Buttons were a fragile ornament, as many of them in the studied sites were broken either during production or use. Therefore, it seems more likely that they were used as beads.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Vilnius Academy of Arts Press
record_format Article
series Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis
spelling doaj-art-0fc7a3ba583747fba0c216b9eecd92de2025-08-20T03:18:05ZengVilnius Academy of Arts PressActa Academiae Artium Vilnensis1392-03162783-68432024-12-0111610.37522/aaav.116.2025.288The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BCDalia Ostrauskienė0Gvidas Slah1Tomas Rimkus2National Museum of LithuaniaVilnius Academy of ArtsKlaipėda University Amber ornament manufacturing tradition in Lithuanian territory was established at the end of the Stone Age, c. 4th–3rd millennium cal BC. According to excavated sites in western Lithuania, this period demonstrates a variety of different amber ornament types. Button-shaped amber beads are one of these. This study presents an analysis of 35 such beads from three Stone Age sites in western Lithuania. Microscopic investigation was used to determine the production stages and techniques of oval, square, and boat-shaped beads. Results show that the manufacturing process for most of the analysed material is similar, but in some cases (e.g. boat-shaped buttons), it differs. Buttons were a fragile ornament, as many of them in the studied sites were broken either during production or use. Therefore, it seems more likely that they were used as beads. https://aaav.vda.lt/journal/article/view/288Button-shaped amber beadsmanufacturing techniquesmicroscopic analysisStone Agewestern Lithuania
spellingShingle Dalia Ostrauskienė
Gvidas Slah
Tomas Rimkus
The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis
Button-shaped amber beads
manufacturing techniques
microscopic analysis
Stone Age
western Lithuania
title The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
title_full The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
title_fullStr The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
title_full_unstemmed The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
title_short The amber gatherers: manufacturing techniques of button-shaped amber beads in western Lithuania during the 4th–3rd mill. BC
title_sort amber gatherers manufacturing techniques of button shaped amber beads in western lithuania during the 4th 3rd mill bc
topic Button-shaped amber beads
manufacturing techniques
microscopic analysis
Stone Age
western Lithuania
url https://aaav.vda.lt/journal/article/view/288
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