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Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifacts in Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina Author(s): Joan M. Todd, Marijean H. Eichel, Curt W. Beck, Angela Macchiarulo Source: Journal of Field Archaeology, Vol. 3, No. 3 (1976), pp. 313-327 Published by: Boston University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/529439 . Accessed: 06/04/2011 11:03
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Italy . that the Aegean world was supplied with

Bronzeand Iron Age AmberArtifactsin Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina

Joan M. Todd
San Jose State University,California

MarijeanH. Eichel
VirginiaCommonwealth University,Richmond,Virginia

CurtW. Beck Angela Macchiarulo

VassarCollege, Poughkeepsie, New York

Thequestion to whether not Yugoslavia as or playeda rolein theBronzeAge ambertradeto Greecehas traditionally answered been negatively becauseof the scarcityof amber ndsin thatcountry. f Amber ndsthathavecometo lightas a f resultof moreintensive exploration after WorldWarII havebeenthought be to of local originby some Yugoslav scholars.Spectroscopic analysisof 35 archaeological amberartifacts from the Yugoslav provinces Croatiaand of Bosnia-Hercegovina theBronzeandIronAge shows31 of themto be of imof portedBalticamber.The finds are discussed theirarchaeological in and geographic contextsas a first step towards re-assessing place of theEastern the Adriaticarea in thesouthward movement amber. of Introduction The presenceof archaeological amberartifactsin the provinces along the eastern coast of the Adriatic is crucialto the questionwhetheror not-and when northernamber reachedthe Aegean by a direct overland route. Past work based on finds then published and chronologiesthen currentled to the conclusionthat modern Yugoslavia was entirely bypassed by the movementof amber from northernEuropeto Greece. Thus deNavarro,in his justly acclaimedcomprehensive study fifty years ago,l could point to no Bronze Age amberfindseast of the Adige riverin northernItaly and thereforewrote that duringthis period"it was through succinite."2 DeNavarrolisted numerousamberElnds of
1. Jose Maria deNavarro, Prehistoric Routes between Northern Europe and Italy Defined by the Amber Trade," Geographical Journal 66 (1925) 481-503. We are greatly indebted to Professor deNavarro for giving us access to the unpublished typescript of the second part of his work, 'sThe Distribution of Amber Antiquities with Special Reference to Southern and Central Europe." The two parts will be cited hereafter as deNavarro, Part I and deNavarro, Part II, respectively. 2. Ibid., pt. I, p. 501.

the Early Iron Age in Carniola,3Croatia and BosniaHercegovinaand these, togetherwith a string of finds leadingnorth to the easternBaltic, led him to postulate an easternAmber Route from east Prussiato the head of the Adriatic4 which openedonly at that late time. The division between the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age is, of course, problematic.DeNavarro was as explicit as he was carefulabout his chronology and his generalstatementsmust be read in termsof his deElnitions:5 uses Hallstattexclusivelyto referto the he EarlyIron Age and in contradistinction BronzeAge. to This is, indeed, the best use of that term,6but Hallstatt
3. Carniolaor Krainwas aF Austrianerown-land until 1918whenit was divided between Italy (Venezia Giulia) and Yugoslavia (Slovenia). Since 1947 it is entirely encompassedby the Yugoslav republic Slovenia. of 4. Ibid.,pt. I, mapfacingp. 484. 5. Ibid.,pt. I, p. 503. 6. Marija Gimbutas, Bronze Age Culturesin Centraland Eastern Europe (The Hague 1965) 131: "The application of the term 'Hallstatt'for the centralEuropeanLate BronzeAge phases dating

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Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifacts/Todd, Eichel, Beck, and Macchiarulo
-

Table 1. Succinicacid contentof Yugoslavamberartifacts.From Hedinger, cit. (in note 11). op.

Province Croatia

Location (Name in 1903) Prozor 45.02N15.12E Prozor Mokronog (Nassenfuss) 45.57 N 14.50 E

Percent Succinic Acid 1.5 (interior) 2.2 (weathering crust) 3.2 (interior) 4.6 (interior)

Slovenia

Toplice (Toplitz) 45.45 N 15.03 E Magdalenska gora (M agdalenenberg) near Smarje (= St. Marein) 45.58 N 14.37 E Smarjeta (St. Margarethen) 46.08 N 15.12 E Podzemelj (Podseml; Podsemel) 45.37 N 15.17 E Vace (Watsch) 46.07 N 14.50 E

5.0 (interior) 7.4 (weathering crust)

3.3 (brittle interior) 2.1 (Flrminterior)

5.4 (interior)

5.3 (interior)

5.6 (interior)

has been and continues to be used to refer to Late BronzeAge periodssand many of the 'Hallstatt' Elnds deNavarro lists belong to the Bronze rather than the IronAge.7 Thus revisions of chronology as well as new finds requirea reassessment the role Yugoslaviamay have of played in the southwardtransportof amber.This cannot well be done without establishinga furtherpoint: are the archaeological amberElnds Yugoslaviain fact of made of that species of amberwhich is known as sucback to Reinecke's time is a misunderstanding. 'Hallstatt' properly belongs to the Early Iron Age, the period of the Halstatt cemetery." 7. E.g., deNavarro, op. cit. (in note 1) Part 11, 263-264: "No amber antiquities have been found [in Albania, Hercegovina, Bosnia and Croatia] with objects which belong to the Bronze Age: the earliest date from the Hallstatt period. Sporadic finds occur as early as Glasinac l; but not until the second phase does amber appear in considerable quantities; it is still better represented in the third period and continues to be found in abundance in the ensuing LaTene Period." deNavarro uses the chronology of Fiala which puts Glasinac I ca. 900-700 B.C., Glasinac 11 ca. 700-500 B.C., and Glasinac 111ca. 500-300 B.C.;but note that Gimbutas, op. cit. (in note 6) 283 equates Glasinac llawith the Koszider Horizon ofthe Middle BronzeAge Tumulus Culture, ca. 1450-1350/ 1325 B.C.

cinite or less preciselyas "Balticamber,"and whichoccurs naturallyonly in the northof Europe? Claimshave been made8and supportedby chemical tests9that the Yugoslav amber Elndsare of another fossil resin and even that they are not fossil at all, but werefashionedin situ fromthe sap of livingtrees.' On the other hand, Hedingerhad long ago published chemical analyses of amber finds from Croatia and
8. Djurdje Boskovic. "De L'origine de l'ambre trouve dans les localites Illyro-Grecques des Balkans," Bulletin l'Aeademie de Serbe des Seieneeset des Arts, Seetiondes SeieneesSoeialesN. S. 8 (1961) 11-12. 9. D. Lebez, "The Analysis of Archaeological Amber and Amber from the Baltic Sea by Thin-Layer Chromatography," J. Chromatog. 33 ( 1968) 544-547. 10. Franc'e Stare, "Zur Problematik des vorgeschichtlichen Bernsteins aus Nordwest-Jugoslawien," paper read at the Seventh International Congress of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences, Prague, August 1966, but not printed in the Aetesof that congress. In the German summary of "Dva Prazgodovinska Groba z Dalmatinske Obale" (Two Prehistoric Graves on the Dalmatian Coast), Adriatica Praehistorica Antiqua et /FestsehriSt Gregor Novak)(Zagreb l970) 207 Stare writes: "Man kann namlich mit voller Berechtigung annehmen, dass das Auftreten der Bernsteinproduktion nordlich der Gorjanci

Journal of Field Archaeology/Vol. 3, 1976 315

Sloveniawhich have been taken as evidencefor the importation of Baltic amber, although Hedingerhimself used them to supportthe opposite view, viz., that local fossil resin deposits were exploited in this area in prehistoric times." The contradictionarises from the uncertaintiesattachedto the presenceor absenceof succinicacid as an indicator of provenience.'2Hedinger was among the first to point out the errorof the sweepinggeneralization of the German apothecary Helm, according to which the presenceof 3 to 8Wo succinic acid in an of amberartifactis certainproof of Nordic origin. While statingcorrectlythat equallylarge amountsof this acid may also be found in non-Balticamber deposits, e.g., those of Roumania, Hedinger overemphasized the significanceof succinic acid contents below 3Wo inas dicatinglocal provenience.He also used the color and texture of his Elndsas evidence of provenience.Since these gross physical propertiesare drasticallyaffected by exposureto the elements,especiallyby air oxidation, they ought neverto be used as criteriaof origin.'3 The relevantdata'4in Hedinger's now virtuallyunobtainablepamphletare summarized Table 1 to make in one firm point: none of these archaeological amberobjects can have been manufactured from the freshlyexuded resinof living conifers,becausesuch recentresins have never been found to contain any succinic acid. Thus Stare'shypothesisis ruled out by prior evidence. As to the geographic origin of these evidently fossil amber finds, the succinic acid test is inconclusive;at

74

19 6

19 4

337 0

33 73

3382

3396

3389

Af<<
339 1 33 92 3383 338 7
, , I , t I I I I _

VVfV'<
8
9

Figure 1. Partial infrared spectra in the region of 8 to 9 microns of authentic Baltic amber and of Yugoslav archaeological amber artifacts. Spectra 74, 196 and 194: authentic Baltic amber in progressive stages of weathering; 3370 and 3373: Vrcin; 3382: Osor; 3396: Valsko polje; 3389: Pritoka; 3391: Sjeversko; 3392: Taline; 3383: Rocevic; 3387: Tuzla.

(Uskokengebirge) unmoglich ware, hatte es nicht jenes allgemeine kulturhistorische Geschehen gegeben, dass (sic) zweifelsohne auch das Fundament fur einen sehr wichtigen Zweig des vorgeschichtlichen Handwerks gelegt hat, namlich das Sammeln und Verarbeiten der rezenten Harze zu bernsteinahnlicher Materie, aus der man Schmuck und viele andere dekorative und auch symbolische Gegenstande verfertigte." For a detailed account of Stare's argument, as expressed in an interview in 1974, see Joan M. Todd and Marijean H. Eichel, "The Baltic-Adriatic Amber Trade: New Evidence," Third International Baltic Conferenee (Stockholm 1975) in press. 11. August Hedinger, Die vorgesehichtlichen Bernsteinartefakte und ihre Herkunft (Strassburg 1903). 12. These have been discussed in detail in Curt W. Beck, "Analysis and Provenience of Minoan and Mycenaean Amber. 1," CkBS 7 (1966) 191-211; cp. also fig. 1 in Curt W. Beck, "Amber in Archaeology," Arehaeology 23 ( 1970) 7. 13. Donald E. Strong, Catalogue of the Carved Amber in the Department of Creek and Roman Antiquities of the British Museum (London 1966) 14-15. 14. Hedinger does not give the archaeological context of his samples. All finds are dated "Hallstattzeit." The analyses were run in a commercial chemical laboratory by Hundeshagen and Phillip. Ten additional amber finds in Hedinger's work, from Aquileia, Hallstatt and southern Germany, are not included in Table 1.

best, Hedinger's data raisethe probabilityof the importation of Balticamber. More recently,infraredspectroscopyhas provideda new and statisticallyreliablemeans of determining the provenienceof amberartifacts.'5 Earlierinfraredspectra have identiEledfinds from Iron Age graves in Slovenia and from Novi Pazar in Serbia as imported Balticamberand have shown that the differences Lebez demonstrated thin-layerchromatography due to by are the same oxidativedeterioration which also changesthe color and the textureof weathered amber. 16 Infraredspectroscopyis less sensitiveto weathering changesthan earlierchemicalmethods of amber analysis. Figure 1 shows three infraredspectraof authentic Baltic amber: Spectrum No. 74, with its perfectly
15. Curt W. Beck et al., "Infrared Spectra and the Origin of Amber," Nature 201 (1964) 256-257; Curt W. Beck et al., "The Infrared Spectra of Amber and the Identification of Baltic Amber," Archaeometry 8 (1965) 96-109; and both op. cit. (in note 12). 16. Curt W. Beck and Theresa Liu, "Provenience Analysis of Yugoslavian Amber Artifacts," Zbornik radova Narodnog muzeja u Beogradu 7 (1973) 133-142; idem, "The Origin of Archaeological Amber Artifacts from Yugoslavia," Bulletin de l'Aeademie Serbe des Seienees et des Arts, Classe des Seienees Mathematiques et Naturelles, N.S. 13 (1974) 115-118.

316

Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifacts/ Todd, Eichel, Beck, and Macchiarulo

Figure2. Locationof amberfindsanalyzed 1974-75. in

horizontal "shoulder" between 8.0 and 8.5 microns followed by an intense absorptionpeak, is typical of well-preserved samples;SpectrumNo. 196 shows considerable weathering, but is recognizable as Baltic amber by computerclassification;'7 SpectrumNo. 194 is too far decomposedfor certainidentiElcation. The infraredmethod of provenienceanalysis is empiricaland independentof any uncertainties which still attachto the chemicalcompositionand botanicalorig-in of Baltic amber;'8it is a "Elnger-printing" technique basedsolely on the comparisonof archaeological amber findswith a very broad data base of about 3,000 amber samplesof knowngeographicorigin.
17. Curt W. Beck et al., "Determination of the Origin of Greek Amber Artifacts by Computer-Classification of Infrared Spectra," in Robert H. Brill, ed., Science and Archaeology (Cambridge, Mass. 197 1) 235-240. 18. Laurie J. Gough and John S. Mills, "The Composition of Succinite (Baltic Amber)," Nature 239 ( 1972) 527-528.

The present report is the Elrstpart of a systematic study of Yugoslav amberartifacts.Duringthe summer of 1974, 35 samplesof archaeological amberexcavated in the Yugoslav provincesof Bosnia and Croatiawere collected for provenienceanalysis.'9All of the amber artifactsfromwhichsamplesweretakenare presentlyin the possessionof the cooperatingmuseums,with the exceptionof the necklacefrom Rijekawhichis lost. Six major geographic areas are representedby the samples and these divisions are used in arrangingthe data in order to assist the readerto visualizethe geographic complexitiesinvolved and to point out some
19. The samples were taken by Todd and Eichel. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for assistance and cooperation given us by our Yugoslav colleagues. We wish to thank particularly Dr. Borivoj Covic, Zemaljski Muzej, Sarajevo; Dr. Milica D. Kosoric, Muzej Istocne Bosne, Tuzla; Dr. Ruzica Drechsler-Bizic; Arheolovski Muzej, Zagreb; Dr. Boris Bacic, Arheolo^skiMuzej lstre, Pula; I)r. Radmila Matejcic, Narodni Muzej, Rijeka; Prof. Ivan Marovic and Dr. Zeljko Rapanic, Arheoloski Muzej, Split.

Journalof FieldArchaeology/Vol. 1976 317 3, physicalpossibilitiesof contactand influence.The areas are discussedgenerallyfrom west to east and important river courses mentioned are shown on the accompanyingmap (FIG. 2). The dating is that of the primary and secondary archaeologicalliterature cited and is subject to considerableuncertaintyand controversy.20 The resultsof the provenience analysesare summarized in Table2. I. The IstrianPeninsula the Kvarner and Islands The IstrianPeninsulalies at the head of the Adriatic Sea and the nearbyKvarnerIslandswere referred by to the ancient Greeks as the Electrides(Amber Islands). Six sampleswere taken from the IstrianPeninsulaand six from the island of Cresin the Kvarnerislands.Both the Bronzeand Iron Ages are represented: BronzeAge amberin the peninsula(includingEarlyBronzeAge at Sosici) and Iron Age (HallstattB and C) on the islands. All of the spectraare those of Balticamber(succinite).
(l ) Vrcin, Istria, (44.52 N, 13.55 E)2 1

Five amber sampleswere taken from the necropolis of Vrcin.Vrcinis locatedon the IstrianPeninsulanorth of Pula in an areaof karsttopography.It is well located for sea connectionswith the Po delta and plain,22 but overland routes toward Dalmatia, coming from the head of the AdriaticSea, or from the interiorthrough Postojna (the ancient Pear Tree Pass), would tend to avoid the peninsula, and filndtheir terminuseither at Triesteor Rijeka.
20. Prehistoric chronology in Yugoslavia continues to be in flux. "In the last five years new ways of looking at the evidence, new methods of dating and excavation have meant that a critical reappraisal of the whole body of evidence has become desirable. . ." John Alexander, Yugoslavia Beforethe RomanConquest (New York 1972) 9. For one such reappraisal of early Balkan chronology, see Colin Renfrew,

Before Civilisation: The RadiocarbonRevolutionand Prehistoric Europe(London 1973) 91-98; for later periods see Otto-Hermann
Frey and Stane Gabrovec, "Zur Chronologie der Hallstattzeit im Ostalpenraum," Actes du Vllle CongresInternational Sciences des Prehistoriques Protohistoriques et (Beograd 1971) 193-218 and Klaus Kilian, "Bemerkungen zur Chronologie der Frtihen Eisenzeit und zum Beginn der Hallstattzeit in Italien und Nord-West Jugoslawien," ibid. 220-231. 21. Latitude and longitude coordinates for all locations are taken from United States Department of the Interior, Office of Geography, Gazetteer No. 55, Yugoslavia: OfficialStandard Namesapproved by the United Stateson Geographie Names(Washington 1961). 22. For important new developments in Italian studies of the ancient amber trade, also using infrared spectroscopic analysis, see Nuccia Negroni Catacchio, "Lo Studio della Problematica dell'Ambra nella Protostoria Italiana: Nuovi Risultati," Atti della XV Riunione Scien-

tifica dell'lstitutoItalianodi Preistoriae ProtostoriaVerona-Trento

(Firenze 1973) 47-52.

The samplesfrom Vrcin were taken from a museum displayin the Archaeological Museumof Istriain Pula. Otherthan the legendsand drawingsin the display,this materialis unpublished.Finds arebelievedto date from the Late BronzeAge. They wereexcavatedfrom tumuli constructedof stone. Typicalis TumulusB, 1.6 m. high and 1.4 m. wide, which containsone stone cist. Objects were deposited in individual and separate locations. Thirtypieces of amberwere found in all. Twenty-seven of these appear to belong to distinct necklaces, from which sampleswere taken. Therewere also three small separatebeadswhichweretoo fragileto sample. Found in the gravewith amberwas one needle-like of bone rod and fifteenbronzeornaments,mostlyspirals. The largest necklace has eleven beads, the largest bead 26 mm. in diameter, 15 mm. thick; the smallest bead 14 mm. in diameter.The beads have very small suspension holes. The sample taken from the largest bead consisted of small fragmentsof almost perfectly transparent, orange-brown amber.The spectrum(3375) shows oxidation but is clearly recognizableas that of Balticamber(succinite). Two samples were taken from a necklace of nine beads, all of very irregular shape and rough texture.B. Bacicof the Pulamuseumconsidersthat they may have been burnt.The largestbead has remainingdimensions of 39 x 28 mm. with a thicknessof 28 mm. It may have been nearlyspherical; centralboringhas a maximum its diameter of 8 mm. The smallest bead now has a diameterof 13 mm. and a thicknessof 5 mm.;its central boring measures4 mm. The large bead gave a sample that was translucent, but not transparent, orangebrown in color. The spectrum (3371) shows a clear Baltic amber (succinite) pattern with a perfectly horizontal "shoulder." A sample from another bead was quite transparent, light orangewithout any opaque portionsand shows a very strongabsorptionpatternof Balticamber(spectrum 3370). Anothergroup of four beads includesa large lentoid bead (D. 23 mm., Th. 10 mm.). The smallest in this group is a ring bead with a diameterof 8 mm. and a large central boring of almost 6 mm. The samples, taken from the ring bead, consistedof small fragments, some of them perfectly transparentand of a bright orange color. The spectrum(3372) shows a weak but quitedistinctabsorptionof Balticamber. A final group consists of three dark red beads. The sample was taken from a roughly circularbead of 20 mm. diameter and a thickness of 17 mm., oblate in shape. The centralboring is large, ca. 6 mm. The sample was reddish-brown color and translucent.Two in spectra of this sample were taken. The first (3373) indicated some weathering,but had a strong pattern of Baltic amber. A second spectrum (3374) of a darker

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Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifaets/ Todd, Eichel, Beek, and Macohiarulo
Sample Number

Table 2. Summary provenience of analyses.

IdentiSlcation

Spectrum Number

Computer Classification

I. TheIstrianPeninsula theKvarner and Islands

( I ) Vrcin

Y8 Y9

Y 10 Y 11

Y 12

Tumulus B necklace of 9 beads Tumulus B largest of 9 beads above Tumulus B ring bead Tumulus B rough bead Tumulus B necklace of 11 beads

3370 337 1

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite

3372 3373 3374 3375

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite doubtful doubtful

(2) Sosici Tumulus "Zamnjak" Y 13 bead (3) Osor Grave 6 Y 14 amber on bronze pin Mladin fig. Xlll Grave 6? Y 15 amber on bronze pin unpublished Grave 6 Y 16 amber on fibula Mladin fig. V111:5 Grave 5 Y 17 amber on fibula Mladin fig. V111:2 Grave 6 Y 18 amber on fibula Mladin fig. Vlll:l Grave 6 Y 19 necklace of 26 beads II. (4) Kastav Y 37 grave necklace Kastav

3376A 3376B

3377

Baltic succinite

3378

Baltic succinite

3379

Baltic succinite

3380

Baltic succinite

338 1

Baltic succinite

3382

Baltic succinite

3400

Baltic succinite

III. TheLika District

(5) Kompolje and Vlasko polje Y 34 Kompolje, Grave63 beads Y 33 Vlasko polje beads 3397 3396 Baltic succinite Baltic succinite

(6) Prozor Y 35 Grave25 jug-shaped beads Y 36 Grave39 fragments

3398 3399

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite

Journal FieldArchaeology/Vol. 1976 319 of 3,

-

Sample Number

ldentification

Spectrum Number

Computer
Classification

I V. The SplitAreaandtheIsland Brac of

(7) Urjanic Solina Y 38 Grave I biconical bead (8) Zaganj-Dolac Y 39 Grave 4 bead Y 40 Grave 3 bead Y 41 Grave 4 bead
(9) Y 26 Y 30 Y 31 3401

Baltic succinite

3402 3403 3404

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite unidentifiable

Pritoka Grave 95 disc Grave 145 amber on FIbula Grave 191 disc

3389 3393 3394

Baltic succinite may be recent pine

resin

unidentifiable

Plateau V. TheGlasinac (10) Sokolac 3390 Y 27 Brezjenecropolis Tumulus1, Grave2 necklace

Baltic succinite

( II) Sjeversko Taline and Y 28 Sjeversko, TumulusVll incisedplate Y 32 Sjeversko, TumulusB beads Y 29 Taline irregular lump

3391 3395 3392

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite

Y Y Y Y Y

VI. The Drina River Valley ( 12) Rocevic Tumulus 111, Grave 5 3369 7 bead, diam. ca. 6 mm. O Tumulus 111, Grave 5 3383 24 bead, diam. ca. 25 mm. Tumulus V1, Grave 1 3384 2I bead 3 Tumulus 111, Grave 3 3386 2. bead 5 Tumulus 111, Grave 5 3388 2. bead,diam.ca. 12mm. (13) Padjine 1, T umulus Grave2 bead

Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite Baltic succinite

Y 22

3385

Baltic succinite

(14) Tuzla
4 Y 2'

random find necklace of 29 beads

3387

Baltic succinite

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Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifaets/ Todd, Eichel, Beek, and Macchiarulo

fragment, is weaker, but still recognizableas Baltic amber.

(2) Sosici, Istria (45.17 N, 13.45 E)

Sosici lies at the headof a bay on the westerncoast of Istria,in an area of karsttopographyand is well placed for sea connectionswith the Po delta and plain and for transit trade with the islands of the Kvarner Gulf. Overlandroutes toward Dalmatia would likely avoid the Istrianpeninsula,having their terminusinstead in the areanearTriesteor Rijeka. The amber was found in the tumulus "Zamnjak" which is surroundedby a ring of stone 13 m. in diameter and 2 m. high. There is a singlegrave at the center of the tumulus.The graveis constructedout of six stone slabs, up to 8 cm. thick. The interior of the grave measures100 x 70 x 70 cm. and is coveredwith a stone slab 165x 95 x 13 cm. In the gravewerethe skeletonsof two adults and one child, all buried in a contracted position (whether sitting or Iying could not be determined).The grave appearsto have been a familygrave with successiveburials.The grave floor is coveredwith smallpebblesfrom the nearbyseacoast.The orientation of the grave is exactlyN-S.At the south side of the grave are fragmentsof a ceramicdish with four handlesand an opening (35 cm.) larger than its height (17.5 cm.). Ceramic fragmentsdating from the Bronze Age were also found betweenthe grave and the circleof stone. In the grave itself weretwo (a photographshows only one) amberbeads, parts of a bronzespiral-ring necklace(26 cm. Iong),and the bones of smallbirds.23 The single amberbead on the bronzenecklacegave a sampleof fine dust, orange-brown color. Two spectra in (3376 A and B) were made. The first shows severalunusual features: (a) absorption between 6.2 and 6.3 microns,only partiallyresolvedfrom the usual band at 6.1 microns;(b) incompleteresolutionof the methylene and methyl bending bands just below and above 7 microns, respectively; weak but distinct absorption (c) at 8.0 microns. Nevertheless, the absorption pattern between 8 and 9 microns fits that of Baltic amber. A second spectrumstill showedbroadening the absorpof tion band at 6.1 micronsbut the methyleneand methyl bands were well resolvedand the absorptionbetween8 and 9 microns has the characteristic pattern of Baltic amber. The uncommon features of these spectra are very likely caused by contaminants,but the identification of this bead as Baltic ambershould be considered doubtful.
23. Boris Bacic, "Tumuli iz Broncanog Doba na Maklavunu i Zamnjakuu Juznoj Istri" (Bronze-AgeTumuli on Maklavunand Zamnjakin SouthernIstria),JadranskiZbornik4 (1959/1960) 203 and FIg. 6:1.

(3) Osor(44.42N, 14.24E) Osor is on the westernside of the islandof Cres,on a very narrow channel dividing the islands Cres and Losinj. It is shelteredfrom the dangerousNE wind, the bura, which even in summer can make the northern Adriaticextremelydangerousfor small craft. It is in a position to communicateeasily with the southernpart of the Istrianpeninsula,with Rijeka, and (throughits central position on Cres), with the other islands of northern centralDalmatia. and The amber samples from Osor came from Graves 5 and 6 in a tumulusdated HallstattB-C.24 The tumulus is rectangular,10 m. long and 6 m. wide. The top has been disturbed and the height was difficult to determine. The wall of the tumulusis of broken stone and earth. The graves are made of five stones, four for the sides and fifth on the top. Most of the graveshave one skeleton; one has two. The bodies, both childrenand adults, are in a contractedposition.Threeappearto be men and three women; the others cannot be determined. The graves are generallyorientedN-S, with the head to the north. Grave 6, from which five amber samples were taken, lay in the middle of the tumulus, with the other graves artranged a pattern to form a in right angle.This gravecontainsthe majorityof jewelry: armbands,fibulae, rings, broochesand necklaces.The metal work is bronze.Ceramicfragments not found are in the gravesthemselves,but outside.Two of the amber samples from Grave 6 were from pieces mounted on bow fibulae.The first25 a verydark,reddish-brown, was barely translucent fragment (spectrum 3379). The second26gave a light-orangeand transparentsample (spectrum 3381). Both had a very strong pattern characteristic Balticamber.A thirdsamplewas taken of from a necklaceof 26 beads.2'The sample was taken from the largest bead. It was transparent,reddishorangeand showeda perfectpattern(spectrum 3382)of well-preserved Baltic amberwith a horizontalshoulder at 8.0 to 8.5 micronsand a weak but distinctabsorption at 11.25 microns. The beads were mostly of the ring type, althoughthe largestbead had a smallerhole and severaldeepgashescut into the surface. One sample was taken from a very attractiveand complex long ceremonial needle described as an "Italian-type fibula with disc." This type of fibula was only found in Grave 6. It is 44 cm. long and has a thin
24. Josip Mladin, "IskapanjeIlirskogTunlula u Osoru na Otoku Cresu"(Excavationof an IllyrianTumulusat Osor on the Island Cres),Jadranski Zborr!ik (1959/1960)211-240. 4 25. Ibid.,fig. VIII:S. 26. Ibid.,fig. VIII: 1. 27. Ibid.,fig. XI:3.

3, Journalof FieldArchaeology/Vol. 1976 321 disc at the top, a bronze spiral bow, a single, fourcornered, vertebra-shapedpiece of amber, carefully carved,and anotherflat thin disc of bronze at the bottom.28 The sample fragments are transparent,lightorange and show no weathering.The spectrum(3377) to was strongand corresponds that of Balticamber. of from a second Elbula this "Italian" A sampletaken but from Osor) in the museumcollection,29 type (also unpublished,had a thin tan weatheringcrust, but the transparent,light-orange fragments showed a strong 3378). patternof Balticamber(spectrum An amber sample was also taken from Grave S. In this graveweretwo skeletons,a man and a woman.The man was evidently buried Elrstand the body pushed aside when the woman'sbody was added.A bow Flbula with amber was found at the left shoulder of the The woman, along with a small square bronze ring.3" The spectrum and sampleis reddish-brown translucent. (3380) indicates some oxidation but is clearly that of Balticamber(succinite).The methyl absorptionat 7.25 microns is somewhat sharper and more intense than usual, and there is a weak absorptionat 7.8 microns; these two featuresmay indicateslight contaminationof the sample with a syntheticconservationmaterial,lacqueror glue.3l (45.22N, 14.21E) II. Kastav,
(4) Kastav

museumdirector, Radmila Matejcic,ceramicbeads of the same shape as the amber were found in the grave, along with bronzefibulae.Even though this was a very large and long necklace, it is the only amber in the The necklacewas collection.The finds are unpublished. recentlystolen, but there is a photographof it in the RijekaMuseum.The samplewas taken from fragments whichwere left. The spectrum(3400)indicatesthe sample is Balticamber. III. The Lika District
{S) Kompolje and Vlasko polje

Kastav is near Rijeka, close to the route leading to the interior and to the ancient Pear Tree Pass which connects the head of the Adriatic through the regions with the Drava River Ljubljana-Maribor-Ptuj and the central Danube drainage system. It is at the head of navigationon the KvarnerGulf wherethe river for which Rijekais namedleads into the interior.There is also a pass throughthe Velika Kapela Mountainsto the Kupa drainage basin, and thence to the SavaDanubesystems. The sample was taken from a large amber necklace found in a 3rd century B.Cwman's grave, excavatedin 1972. The necklace lay around the neck of the body. accordingto the The beads are roughlybarrel-shaped;
28. Ibid.,fig. Xlll. 29. The museumlabel states that this find is also from grave 6, but only one fibula Mladin,op. cit. (in note 24) mentionsand illustrates of this type. 30. Mladin,op. cit. (in note 24) fig. V111:2. 31. Curt W. Beck, GretchenC. Southardand Audrey B. Adams, of "Analysisand Provenience Minoan and MycenaeanAmber, 11. Tiryns,"GABS 9 ( 1968) 8-1 1.

Kompoljeis located in the northernpart of the Lika Valley near Otocac, 44.52 N, 15.12 E. It is in a fertile karst polje,32 with good connectionsvia a short route with Senj on the Adriatic coast, and with the Korana Rivervalley which runsthroughthe Kordunplateauto its connectionwith the Kupa Rivernearthe Kupa-Sava confluence. To the south there was an ancient route throughthe ZrmanjaRiver Valley to centralDalmatia; to the north a series of depressionsleads to the Pear Tree Passand on to the Danubebasin. An amber sample was taken from a very rich JapoDuringexcavationsin 1955-56in Necropdian grave.33 olis I in Kompolje,the second stratagraveswere dated HallstattC and D.34Amber was found in 20 of the 83 graves. The most interesting for amber studies was Grave 63, at a depth of 0.8 m., which contained an almost destroyedskeletonwith tracesof charredplanks on whichthe body lay. The gravewas orientedE-Wwith the head toward the east. It was not possible to tell whether the body was male or female. Along with several ornate bronze FIbulae,a well-carved bronze "needle,"and fragmentsof dark-blueglass, were over 648 pieces of amber, gprobably from necklaces of
32. Likapolje conformsto the classicdefinitionof a "karstpolje'' as flat with a conspicuously floor of alluvium,which a largedepression is aligned in the directionof major tectonic lines, is drainedsubby and terraneously, is characterized horizontaland surfacedissolution of the limestonefrom whichit is formed.For discussionsof the and characteristics mode of formationof karstpoljes, cfAlarjorie M. Sweeting, Karst Landforms (New York 1973) 194-204 and Milan eds., Karst.-Important Karst Regions in Herakand V. T. Springfield, the Northern fIemisphere (New York 1972)220-245. peopleof cen33. The Japodesor lapygeswerean Illyrian-speaking The Romans tral Dalmatia;Alexander,op. cit. (in note 20) 111-112. also applied the name lapyges collectivelyto a group of Illyrianpeoplesin SEItaly;Polybius3.88. speaking 34. Ruzica Drechsler-Bizic, "Rezultati Istrazivanja Japodske in Nekropoleu Kompoiju1955-56Godine"(Resultsof Excavations the Japodian Necropolis in Kompoije in 1955-56), Vjesnik Arheoloskog Muzeja u Zagrebu [3] 2 (1961) 109.

322 BronzeandIronAge AmberArtifacts/Todd, Eichel,Beck,andMacchiarulo various lengths. All of these Elndslay near the upper part of the rib cage and stomach.The spectrum(3397) shows that the amberis Balticsuccinite. A second ambersamplewas taken from very recent, as yet unpublished excavationsin Vlaskopolje, another partof Kompolje.This amberwas found in a varietyof shapesand severalalmost whole beadsweregiven to us to analyze.The amberwas found outside the graves,an importantexception.Some of the piecesweredecorated wathdots and concentriccircles.The sample from this amberis reddish-brown color, transparent with a in and thin weatheringcrust. The spectrum(3396) showed the sampleto be Balticamber. (6) Prozor045.02N, 15.12E) Prozoris in the northernLika basinnearOtocac, in a fertile karst polje. From its central location in the valley, routeslead norththrougha seriesof depressions in the northernVelika Kapela mountainsto tlw Pear Tree Pass and the connectingroute towards the Danube. To the west, over the Velebitmountains,the route ends in the area near Senj on the Adriaticcoast. Senjis aImostd\irectly east of Osor on Cres. Connectionfrom Prozor to the east, to the upper valley of the Korana River, a tributaryof the Kupa, can be made througha pass over the easternencirclingmountainrim, past the lakes at Plitvice. To the south, there is a route which uses the Zrmanja River valley to its mouth on the AdriaticnearZadarand Nin. In 1971-72excavationsrevealed76 graves,71 with inhumations and FIvecremationburials.The dead were buried in various ways; most of them were laid on planks, loosely encircledwith crudestones and covered with earth.35 Grave 25, 0.4 m. deep with a N-S orientation, was not a very well-constructed grave. Only the skull (at the south end) and some bones fromthe upper and lowerextremities werefound.Near them werethree spectacle FIbulae bronze wire and eight well-made, of jug-shaped amber beads of various sizes, the largest about 15 mm. The samplewas taken from fragmentsof the beads and the spectrum (3398) showed it to be Balticamber. Grave 39 was even closer to the surface,0.29 m., but had a well-constructedloose stone cover.36No body was in the grave, but there was a very large and ornate bronzeand amberElbula with amberpendants.In addition there were five fragmentsof amber.Whetherthey
35. Ruzica Drechsler-Bizic,'iNekropola Prahistorijskih Japoda u Prozoru kod Otocac" (PrehistoricJapodian Necropoles at Prozor near Otocac), Vjesnik ArFeoloskogMuzeja u Zagrebu [3] 6/7 ( 1973/1973) 48. 36. Ibid.,34.

might have been part of the fibula is not certain.The sample taken for analysiswas from the fragmentsand the spectrum(3399)showed it to be Balticamber.Both of the gravesfrom Prozorappearto be HallstattD.37

IV. The Split Areaandthe Islandof Brac (7) (Jryanic Solina The town is nearthe ancienttown of Salona(modern Solin), 44.33 N, 16.30 E, in central Dalmatia. Coastal routes,coming throughthe channelbetweenthe islands of Bracand Solta (SplitskaVrata- "the gate to Split") from either the north or south, enter the interior throughthe pass at Klis, which is within 10 km. of the harbor at Solin. The pass at Klis is the only easily traversed in the coastalmassifbetweenthe Zrmanja gap River canyonto the northand the NeretvaRiverto the south. Once throughthe pass at Klis, there are a series of depressionsleading SW-SE which connect with the Zrmanja and Neretva valleys, as -well as passage towardsthe east. Grave I, in Vranjic,which is close to Solin, was FIrst excavatedin 1926.38 Threeskeletons,one younggirl and two adults, were found buriedin a contractedposition. It is not known whetherthe grave was under a stone tumulus or not because it was located in a disturbed area from which marl had been extracted. In 1960 Marovic publisheda study of the objects in the grave, compared them with analogous objects found in the coastal territoryand in the hinterland,and he believes that the grave finds can be dated to Hallstatt B or to Phase I of the Liburianculture group.39In the grave was a necklace of sheet bronze with corrugations,a bronze circlet necklace a bronze twisted choker made from three strands of bronze wire, four two-bow fibulae, bronzespectaclefibulae,a bronzering made from three spiral coils still in place arounda fingerbone, 17 bronze rings, loose bronze wires and five disc-shaped glass-pastebeads.Therewerethreebeadsof amber:one discoid and two bi-conical in shape, with holes drilled throughthem.40 The samplewas taken from one of the biconical beads and the spectrum(3401) showed the amberto be succinite(Balticamber).
37. Ibid.,49. 38. Ivan Marovic, "Prahistoriski nalozi na podrucju Solina" (PrehistoricFinds in the area of Solin), Vjesnikza ArheologtSu t Historiju Dalmatinsku (1960;publ. 1967)6, note 5. 62 39. Ibid.,28. 40. Ibid.,9, fig. 2:2-4.

Vol. Journalf FieldArchaeology/ 3, 1976 323

(8) Zaganj-Dolac
N,

The site is nearSumartin,on the islandof Brac(43.18 16.53 E) in the central Dalmatian island group. Located on the easternend of the island, only 10 km. fromthe mainland,it has good sea connectionswith the Cetina River canyon route to the interior(throughthe mouth of the riverat Omis) and with the routethrough Kanal(Bracchannel). Solin (Klis) by way of the Bratcki In the winter,the bura, the northwind, is very strongin the BrackiKanal and ships whichventureto sail in that wind even today take the route through the more protected channel which separates Brac from the neighboringisland of Hvar. In the summer,when the vast majorityof sailing was done, the bura is rare and the Bracki Kanal is a protectedpassage. Towardsthe south there are safe and shelteredchannelsas far as the Neretva River: through the Hvarski Kanal, the sea routecould stay withinthe channelsbetweenthe islands and the mainlandto the ZrmanjaRiver mouth, or to Osor on Cres. West and south, ancient sailors could island-hop via Vis and the Tremiti islands to the westernshoreof the AdriaticnearTermoli,Italy. Three samples of amber were taken from ZaganjDolac, where four stone-slab graves were discovered. The bodies were buriedin the contractedposition. One of the samples was taken from Grave 3, which was dated to the 6th/5th centuriesB.C. The gravecontained bronze bracelets,buttons, pins, chains, and fragments of Illyrianpottery and one bow fibula with an amber the bead. This was the only amberin the grave;4' spectrum(3403)is that of Balticamber. The other amber sampleswere taken from Grave 4, datedto the 5th centuryB.C. The form of Grave4 is not known but the contents were brought to the Archaeological Museumin Split in 1958.They includedwhite and blue glass beads, a bronze fibula and chain, and two amberbeads,small, oval and ratherflat, with small One of these sampleswas shown holes in the middle.42 by the spectrum(3402) to be Baltic amber;the other 3404)was unidentifiable. (spectrum
(9) Pritoka

Pritokais located at44.47 N, 18.41E, south of Bihac, near the Una River. Towards the south and east, passage is possible through the karst depressionsand over the intervening mountains to the area around Sarajevo and the Glasinac plateau. Easier routes,
Grabovi u Zaganj Dolacu kod 41. Ivan Marovic, "Zeljeznodobni (Iron Age Gravesat yaganj Dolac near na Sumartina Otoku Bractu" Sumartinon the Island Brac), Vjesnik za Arheologiju i Historiju Dalmatinsku 65/67 ( 1963/1965)11-12. 42. Ibid.,25 and fig. VI1:2-3.

however,go north, through the Korana-Kupasystem to the Sava flood plain; or west, through the pass betweenthe Plitvice lake system and Lika polVe. From the northernLika, one route (the shortest)would cross the narrow Velebit range and have its terminus near Senjon the NE Adriaticcoast. The second route would pass throughthe southernLika plain to the canyon of the Zrmanja River, and thence to the Adriatic near Zadaror Nin. The very rich Elndsof the necropolisJezerinenear Pritokaconstituteone of the most completeexcavation programsin Yugoslavia.In the Jezerinenecropolis551 graves were discoveredin the excavationsof 1890-92: 223 inhumations and 300 cremation burials, two of whichwere with urns.The burningof the dead evidently took place on the burial ground itself. Five crossshapedburningplaceswith a widthof threemeterswere foundwith ashes,coals and scorchedearth.43 The Jezerine finds are divided chronologicallyinto four phases from ca. 800 s.c. to 110 s.c., and the amber sampleswere taken from gravesbelongingto Phase III (360-250 s.c.).44 An important and unusual develin opment in amber ornamentsis represented some of the gravesof this period:a flat plate-likedisc of amber incisedwith a four-sidedcross on one side. No hole is discernible.A sample was taken from one of these amber discs found in Grave 95 of the Jezerine necropolis.A bronze spiral fibula was found with it.45 The amberdisc was perhapsat one time circularbut is now broken around the edges and measures 53 x 55 mm. The sample consists of transparentorange fragments.The spectrum(3389) shows some oxidation,but has the distinctpatternof Balticamber. A secondsamplewas taken from a similaramberdisc found in Grave 191 at Jezerine,but not published.This amberpiece also belongsto Phase III and is also about 5 cm. in diameter.The sample was a very small fragment; the spectrum(3394) is weak and not identifiable as Balticamber. A third sample from Jezerinewas taken from Grave 145, also belonging to Phase III. Found in the grave was a piece of engravedbronze,3.7 cm. long; 16 amber beadswith round and ovoid shapeswith holes drilledin the middle; and one large (16.6 cm.) fibula of bronze, ornatelycarvedwith two animalheadsand a largepiece of amber in the center, with one hole in the middle.46
43. Zdravko Maric, "Die Japodischen Nekropolen im Unatal,"
Wissenschaftliche Mitteilumgen des Bosnisch-Herzegowinischen Landesmuseums. N .S., 1 (A) ( 1971) 19.

44. Ibid.,28-34. 45. Ibid.,fig. II:22-24. 46. Ibid.,fig. 111:1.

324 BronzeandIronAge AmberArtiSacts/Todd, Eichel,Beck,andMacchiarulo The Elbulais in excellent condition and is the most sophisticatedpiece of jewelry made with amber from which we took a sample.The sampleconsistedof only enough amberto prepareone spectrum(3393) which is quite unlike those of any archaeologicalamber specimen we have analyzed.The hydroxylabsorptionis very intense. The strongest carbon-oxygensingle band absorption occurs at ca. 8 microns,a featurecommon to recentpine resins.47 V. The GlasinacPlateau
(10) Sokolac

The town is at 43.56 , 18.48E, in the Glasinacregion east of Sarajevobetweenthe Javor, Devetak and Tara Massifs. From here, there are connections west, via mountainpasses to the regionwherethe Neretva River debouchesfrom its canyon into its floodplainand then through the plain to the Adriatic and the central Dalmatianislands,with sea connectionsboth northand south. To the east, a short journey connects with the westernMorava,part of the Morava-Danubedrainage basin. To the north, anothershortjourneyconnectsthe region with the Drina system and its connectionsboth east andwest along the Savaplain. An ambersample was taken from the nearbyBrezje necropolis,Tumulus 1, Grave 2, belongingto Glasinac, Phase III.48It was evidently part of a necklace;the averagediameterof the beads was 6 mm. The sample consists of small fragmentsof variouscolors from light orange to dark brown, and of various degrees of transparency. Two spectrawere taken. The first spectrum was not recognizableas Baltic amber because of gross contamination with clay materials. secondspecA trum (3390) of another fragmentof the same sample had the absorptionpatternof Balticamber.
(11 ) Sjeversko and Taline

Sjeverskois located in the valley of a tributaryof the Drina River, just "under the nose" of the mountain Ilija at 42.52 N, 18.08 E. Sjeverskois about 25 km. east of Sokolac, is part of the same Glasinacplateauregion, and offersthe sameconnectionsdescribedabove in subsection(10).
47. This sampleis the only one whichlends experimental supportto the contentionof Stare, op. cit. (in note 10) that "artificialamber" was manufactured Yugoslaviain prehistoric in timesfromthe resinof living conifers. While that is evidently not true of all the other Yugoslavamberfinds we have analyzed,the presentsamplesuggests that it may havebeendone occasionally that Stare'shypothesis and is an unjustif1ed generalization froma few isolatedcases. 48. Alojz Benac and Borivoj Covic, Katalog Prehistoriske Zbirke Zemalskog Muzejau Sarajevo (Sarajevo1957)pl. 23.

TumulusB at Sjeverskois representative the rich of Glasinacculture.49 tumulusof the centraltype, it has A two graves,each with a singleskeleton,one of a woman and the other of a child.50 The child's grave contained 350 beads of blue glass paste and some metal wire fragments.The woman'sgrave had 271 small beads of blue glass paste by the upper part of the arm, along with a bronze buckle by the right arm. Two spectacle fibulaewere found by the left hand and nearthem were 30 small beads of amber.The sample was taken from one of these beads. The fragmentswere reddish-brown in color, opaqueand with a weathering crust.The spectrum (33Q5) shows a very strong pattern of Baltic amber. Tumulus VII was excavatedat the turn of the century.5'It was built of stone, sand and earth. In the SE corner of the tumuluswere a few fragmentsof bones. Scatteredover the entireSE cornerwerea great number of artifacts, including four bronze buckles, a bronze needle from a fibula, threebronzefingerrings,a round bronze bead, a biconicalbronze bead, a bronzebutton and a roundbead of chalcedon.Therewere 358 various pieces of amber in many differentshapes, some cylindrical,about 35 mm. long, some shell- andjug-shaped; some flat and incised with circularpatterns.All were drilledand evidentlyparts of necklaces.Therewas also a small clasp of rolled gold with embossed decoration weighing0.8 grams as well as numerousfragmentsof painted ceramic vessels. This is the only grave of the Glasinac culturein which amber and gold were found together.The samplewas taken from one of the incised flat pieccs. It consists of severallarge fragmentswhich are reddish-orange color and perfectlytransparent. in The interiorof the largestfragmentis still light yellow. The spectrum(3391) is strong and has a nearlyperfect patternof Balticamber. Talinelies close to Sjeverskoat the foot of the mountain Ilija and has the same geographicalconnections. TumulusI at Taline was 8.5 m. wide and 0.75 m. high and built of stone and earth. In the middle of the tumulus was a cremation and the remains of an uncrematedbody. Found in the graveswere fragmentsof
49. Alexander, cit. (in note 20) 113-118, op. describes varietyand the richnessof the Glasinac culture, includingfortifiedsingle-rampart hill-settlements valleycommunities and wherehouseswereraisedon pilesto forma seriesof terraces. citesthe workingandexportation He of gold andsilveras a possiblesourceof wealth. 50. BorivojCovic, "Glasinac 1957: RezultatiIskopovanjaTumula Glasinackog Tipa"(Glasinac1957:Resultsof Excavations Tumuli of of the Glasinac Type), Glasnik Zemalskog Muzeja u Sarajevu, Arheologija NovaSerija14(1959)23-84. 51. FranjoFiala, "Untersuchung Pr-ahistorischer Grabhugel dem auf Glasinac," Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungenaus Bosnien und der Herzegowina (1899)25-26and figs.40-43. 6

Vol. Journalof FieldArchaeology/ 3, 1976 325 iron spearsand knives, two bronze fibulae, one bronze double needle, fragmentsof a bronze vessel, a bronze bead, 10 vari-coloredenameledbeads, cylinder-shaped two stone discswith holes boredthroughthem, one clay spinningweight, a bone bead, a cowrie-likeshell, bored through, two rings of bronze wire and a number of Therewere two variouslydecoratedceramicfragments. pieces of amberin the grave:one a finely made, rosettepiece, 80 x 45 x 20 shapedbead and one large, irregular mm. It was bored through,but otherwisenot carvedin any way.52 The samplewas taken from the lump of amber.The sample consists of a few very small fragmentsof light orangecolor. Two spectrawere made.The first was inconclusive;the second (3392) showed a strong absorption patternof Balticamber. VI. The DrinaRiverValley
(12) Rocevic

Rocevic is located at 44.33 N, 19.09 E, nearthe Drina River. To the north, the Drina enters the Sava floodplainwithin40 km. of the site, and the confluence of the Sava and the Danube is only a little more than 100 km. to the east. Toward the south and west, there are connectionsby way of a series of short passes with the Glasinacplateauand the Sarajevoarea.West along passage the Sava River floodplain there is unrestricted basin to the Sava canyon whichseparatesthe Ljubljana from the Sava plain. By followingthe Kupa Riverfrom its confluencewith the Sava near Sisak, one could go polje route to the Adriatic via the Kupa-Korana-Lika near Senj, or via the Zrmanja river through the southern Lika to the central Adriatic near Zadar or Nin. Five amber samples were taken from the Jezero necropolis near Rocevic, excavatedin 1970-71.All of the tumuli in this necropoliswereskeletongraves.Four of the sampleswere taken from TumulusIII which had five graves.All the graveswere ringedwith largerough stones; some were coveredwith small stones and then with earth.The dead lay in a contractedposition on the left or rightside, hands raisedto the head and feet bent behind the knees. This evidentlywas a family tumulus and had been used over a period of time. The finds in Grave 3 belong to BronzeAge D. In the grave were a bronzepin, bronzehair-rings,two bronze armlets,and a brokenceramicvessel with ceramiccover. Therewere a number of small amber beads and one larger one,
52. Franjo Fiala, "Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung Prahistorischer Grabhugel auf dem Glasinac im Jahre 1895," Wissensehaftliche Mitteilungen aus Bosnien und der Herzegowina 5 ( 1897) 14-15.

The sample was taken about 30 mm. in diameter.53 from the large bead and consisted of orange-brown opaque fragments.The spectrum(3386) taken from a crust,has a carefullyselectedsamplefree of weathering verystrongpatternof Balticamber. Three sampleswere taken from Grave 5, which also dates from the late Bronze Age. The grave also contained a broken ceramic vessel with a lid, bronze armlet, and fragmentsof a bronze spiral. Five amber beads, roughlycircular,all in poor condition,appeared to be grouped together. Sampleswere taken from the largest bead and from one of the smaller beads. The largest bead (D. ca. 16 mm.) gave a sample of bright orange,opaque fragments,with some weatheringcrust. The spectrum(3369) is weak, but has the characteristic pattern of Baltic amber with a distinct, horizontal shoulder.One of the smallerbeads(D. ca. 12 mm.) had a 1-2 mm. thick weatheringcrust. Its spectrum(3388), made from a clear,interiorportion of the sample,has a strong absorption pattern of Baltic amber. A sample was also taken from a single large bead (D. ca. 25 mm.).54The sample consists of small orange-brown fragments,most of which are opaque and includesome weatheringcrust. The spectrum(3383) of a carefully fragmentshas a chosen numberof the most translucent verystrongpatternof Balticamber. One amber sample was taken from Tumulus VI at Jezero, Grave 1. This grave dated from a slightly later period, Hallstatt A or Early Iron Age. It contained a bronze armlet,a ring of spiralwire, and fragmentsof a amberbeads in bronzespiral.There were two irregular A the grave (D. 14 mm. and 16 mm.)55 sample taken from the larger bead consisted of a small bit of darkamber. brown, opaque and apparentlywell-weathered The spectrum(3384) is weak but has a distinctpattern of Balticamber. (13) PadVine Padjineis nearZvornik(44.24N, 19.07E), close to the Drina River. Padjine is less than 20 km. almost due south of Rocevic and offers the same connections as given in sub-section(12). One amber sample was taken from the Karavlatske kuce necropolis in Padjine,Tumulus I, Grave 2. This was an inhumationburial;the grave was rectangular.
53. Milica D. Kosoric and Dusan Krstic, "Iskopavanje praistorijskih humki u Padjinama i RocevicC 1970-1971 Godine" (Excavation of Prehistoric Tumuli in Padjine and Rocevic in 1970-1971), Clanei i istoriju IstoeneBosne9 (1972) 26-27, plan Illa, Illb, gradaza kulturnu plates 1:4, IV, V. 54. Ibid., pl. Vl. 55. Ibid., pl. Vl 1.

326

Bronze and Iron Age Amber Artifacts/ Todd, Eichel, Beck, and Macchiarulo

The body had been placed on a layer of stones and smaller stones were used to cover the whole grave. In the grave were a bronze needle, a bronze spiral armband, and 11 smaller beads of amber and one large bead (D. ca. 50 mm.). One bead appears to have a V-boring and the large bead has several slashes and holes cut into jt.56 The sample was taken from the large bead. It consisted of small reddish-brown fragments,some translucent, but most opaque. The spectrum(3385) is weak and indicates considerable oxidation, but it has a definiteBalticamberpattern.
(14) Tuzla

Tuzla is located in the valley of the Spreca River, a tributaryof the Bosna River, at 44.33 N, 18.46 E. The name of the city reflects the exploitationof salt in the area.The closest connectiontowardthe northis a curving route around the NW end of the Majevicamassif, througha depressionand a rivervalley whichentersthe Sava plain within 50 km. of the city. From the Sava plain, passageboth east and west is unrestricted. the To east is the confluenceof the Sava and Danube riversat Belgrade; the west, passageup the Kupa River,from to its juncturewith the Sava near Sisak, would allow easy passagevia the Korana-Lika polje route to the Adriatic near Senj, or through the southernLika, via the Zrmanja River, to the AdriaticnearZadar.There is a fairly easy passage south through the mountainsto the area of Sarajevoand the Glasinacplateau. A samplewas taken of an undatedrandomfind in the Tuzla area, a necklaceof 29 amberbeads.57 The beads are in excellentcondition, flat-ovoidin shape and with finely drilled center holes. The largest bead was ca. 22 mm., the smallest 6.5 mm. One bead appearedto have an inclusionof a seed or straw. The sample was taken from the largest bead. It is brightorangeand transparent. Two spectrawere made. The first spectrumis weak but shows a patternof Baltic amber.A second spectrum(3387) of anotherportion of the same samplehas a very strongabsorptionpatternof Balticamber. Conclusions The infraredspectrashow that 31 of the 35 finds analyzed are of Baltic amber (succinite); another is probably Baltic, and two finds were unidentifiable
56. Milica Kosoric and Dutsan Krstic, ';Iskopavanje praistorijskih humki u Padjinaina i Rocevicu" (Excavation of Prehistoric Tumuli in Padjine and Rocevic), Clanci i grada za kulturnuistoriju lstocne Bosne 8 (1970) 36 and pl. IV:3. 57. In the Tuzla Archaeological Museum, Catalogue No. 1619.

because the small samples available for analysis consistedentirelyof extensivelyoxidizedweathering crust. While this establishes filrmly that Baltic amber was imported into Croatia and Bosnia during the time covered by these finds, the remaining spectrum, although less than conclusive, lends some support to Stare'scontentionthat importedambermay have been imitated locally by making beads of recent pine resin. But if so, this was clearlythe exceptionratherthan the rule. All of the amberanalyzedin this study, with the exceptions of the random find, and the one samplefrom Kompolje,was found in graves. The amberwas found in all varietiesof burials:inhumation,cremation,and urn cremation.Generally,it was located very close to the body, and in associationwith the upperhalf of the body. Amber was found in the gravesof both men and women. Usually it was found in conjunction with bronzeartifacts;only once with gold and anothersemipreciousstone, chalcedon.In severalof the gravescontaining amber there were glass paste beads of similar shape with similar markings. At Jezerine, the cross shapesincisedon the amberdiscs are also found carved in bronze. Only one of the graves from which samples were taken contained iron objects, even though more than half of the samples have been dated to the Iron Age. Most of the amber is found in the form of beads, either in necklacesor as part of bronzefibulae. Most of the ambers from which samples were taken have a suspensionhole. Even the amberinlay in a large fibula has a hole bored in the middle.Notable exceptionsare the incised flat thin discs from Jezerine. They are perhaps,of all the finds analyzed,the most purelysymbolic artifacts. The amberbeads analyzedare found in a half dozen shapes with considerablevariations. The Bronze Age beads often show very good workmanship, particularly in the makingof the holes. Amberis more abundantin Iron Age graves, particularlyin the Lika, but the presence of imported Baltic amber during the Bronze Age as far west as Istria and as far east as the Drina Valleyhas now beenestablished. Keeping in mind Alexander's perceptive comment about the pattern of excavations in Yugoslavia, one can neverthelesssuggest a tentative network of routes by which amber may have travelled. Coming from northern Europe there were several routes which enteredthe Danube basin and which continuedby way of its tributaries towardthe AdriaticSea. The most obvious route connectingthe Danubewith the head of the Adriatic is through the Pear Tree Pass. Beck58has
58. Beck, op. cit. (in note 16).

Journalof FieldArchaeology/ 3, 1976 327 Vol. tested one sample from Slovenia and found it to be of Baltic provenience, but in the absence of additional samples, we hesitate to postulate a route without specificevidence.However,we can state that amberwas travellingduringboth Bronzeand Iron Ages on other routestowardsthe Adriatic. It is importantto note that the upper coursesof the tributariesof the Sava River are deeply incised, and hence difficultto navigate,while the intervening mountain plateaus (the planine) served to link the various rivervalleys.These interfluvial areaswere,until Roman times, the majorroutesto the interiorfrom the Neretva Delta and to the sea coast fromthe Glasinacplateau. The position of the Lika,a fertileintermontane basin, duringthis period could have allowed it to be a major node of communicationsboth with the interior and with the coast. This is reflected,we believe,in the abundance of Iron Age amberfound in this area. Although no BronzeAge amberhas yet been found in the Lika, the filrst BronzeAge gravewas discoveredby DrechslerBizic duringthe summerof 1974and futureexcavation may well demonstratethe importanceof the Lika during this periodas well. Acknowledgements.The analytical work at Vassar College was supported by a Cottrell College Science Program Grant of the Research Corporation, Providence,Rhode Island,for which C.W.B. and A.M. wish to express their appreciation.Field research in Yugoslaviaby M.H.E. was made possible by an International Research Exchange Board (IREX) appointment as an exchangescholarin Yugoslavia.She wishes to expressher appreciation IREX, the governmentof to Yugoslavia,and the Universityof Zagrebfor their support. JoanM. Todd,Professor AncientHistoryat San Jose of State University, California, a nativeof Minneapolis is andreceived B.S. andM.A. degrees her from the University of Minnesota. wasthefirst EJ.S. She exchange studentto the Free University Berlin.Her majorinterest of is the relationship theancientMediterranean of world withotherareasandherdoctorate from the EJniversity of Pittsburgh focusedon the Greeks the Persians.In adand ditionto articleson amber,shehas also written on Xenophon, Polybius, philosophy history. and of Marijean Eichelcompleted B.A. degreein 1969at H. her San Jose'State University. received Ph.D. degree She her ingeography 1975at the University California, in of Berkeley.Her dissertation dealt withthehistorical geography Dalmatiaandthe islandof Brac,inparof ticularwithchanging landusesandvegetation the in region,and wasbasedon tenmonths fieldworkin Yugoslavia. is nowteaching Virginia She at Commonwealth University, where is an Assistant she Professorof Geography. Curt W.Beck,Professorof OrganicChemistry the on MatthewVassar Chairat VassarCollege,has worked Jr. on organicarchaeological materials, especially amber, since1964.He is an editorof Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts,a sectioneditorof Chemical Abstracts,editorof the "Archaeometric Clearinghouse'' sectionof theJournal of Field Archaeology, andeditor of Archaeological Chemistry, thesymposium volume of theFifthSymposium Archaeological on Chemistry. is He a fellow of the RoyalSocietyof Arts andof the International Institute Conservation HistoricandArfor of tistic Works. AngelaMacchiarulo an undergraduate is student at Vassar Collegein hersenioryear. Her majoris chemistry, plansto enteran M.D.-Ph.D. program she andto workin medicalresearch.