- The Amber Road was the route used to transport Amber from the Baltic coast to the Adriatic.
- It passed through the Lands of the German Tribes into France, Italy and the Mediterranean. The Tin Road followed the same routes as the Amber Road.
History
- In the Ancient World, Amber was transported from the Baltic through the German Lands into the Adriatic Sea, via northeastern Italy.
- It also went via the River Vistula and the River Dnieper into the Black Sea.
- Amber was considered to be the ‘Gold of the North’.
- Tin was also transported along the Amber Road, and the Tin Road was the same as the Amber Road.
The Baltic through Germany
- The Amber Road was the route used to transport Amber from the Baltic Coast, through the Lands of the Germanic Tribes into neighbouring countries such as Holland, France, Italy and Spain.
The Baltic to the Adriatic
- Baltic
- The road started on the Baltic Coast in Lithuania and Poland.
- Moravian Gate
- The Moravian Gate is a Pass in the Czech Republic, between the Carpathian Mountains and the Sudetes Mountains, through which all Trade in the Ancient World passed.
- The road passed through the land of the Boii, the modern Czech and Slovak Republics, who controlled this part of the Amber Road.
- River Morava
- It then passed down river Morava to the Danube.
- Carnuntum
- Carnuntum was a fortress on the Danube, where the Amber Road crossed the into the control of the Roman Empire.
- Virunum
- Virunum was the capital of the Roman Province of Noricum.
- Plocken Pass
- Aquileia
- The main Terminus of this Amber Road was Aquileia, on the Venetian Lagoon.
- From Aquileia it would continue its journey by sea or by road to Rome.
Baltic to the Black Sea
- River Vistula
- The Amber travelled along the river Vistula in Poland, from its delta on the Baltic.
- According to the Hervarar Saga, Arheimar was the capital city of the Goths on the Vistula, who controlled this part of the Amber Road.
- River Dnieper
- It then connected to the river Dnieper, which flows through Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine.
- Black Sea
- Here it reached the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsular, where it passed into the control of the Roman Empire.
- From the Black Sea Amber travelled down to Greece, Syria and on to Egypt.
Baltic to China
- Silk Road
- Amber travelled from Europe to China in the reverse direction along the Silk Road.
- Amber was a sought after commodity in China, where it was burnt during Festivals, and also used for its medicinal properties.
- In 500 CE Tao HongJing wrote ‘Materia Medica’, in which he warned how to distinguish between false and real Amber, by rubbing to check its electrostatic properties.
Moravian Gate, Czech Republic