Researchers have revealed that the prehistoric communities of the Iberian Peninsula developed advanced technology to create beads that imitated amber, a precious and scarce material in antiquity.
This finding, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, highlights the skill and creativity of the Iberian artisans who managed to replicate the characteristics of amber using composite resins.
The study, led by Carlos P. Odriozola and his team, focused on the analysis of beads found in various archaeological sites on the peninsula. Using advanced techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), the researchers discovered that the beads were coated with a mixture of pine resin, beeswax, and carotene, adhered with bone glue.
The scarcity and inconsistency in the supply of amber, along with the social need to mark roles and distinctions, drove the development of this technology.
These coated beads not only imitated the color and smell of amber but also aged similarly, giving them symbolic and social value comparable to real amber.
Composite resin beads were produced during the Neolithic and persisted until the Middle Bronze Age, coexisting with true amber beads. Their wide distribution and association with elite contexts underscore their importance as a prestige technology in prehistoric Iberian societies.
According to the researchers, in the design and craftsmanship of the coated beads, emphasis was placed on color and clarity as main performance characteristics, while addressing the trade-offs and challenges associated with ensuring durability, workability, and adhesion to the core material.
The incorporation of natural additives such as beeswax and bone glue, along with organic dyes like carotenoids, allowed artisans to create composite coatings that emulated the sensory characteristics of amber.
They conclude that this resin coating technology is, to date, exclusive to the Iberian Peninsula and has no parallel in prehistoric Europe. Its wide distribution and association with elite contexts underscore its importance as a prestige technology within the Late Prehistoric societies of the Iberian Peninsula.
SOURCES
Carlos P. Odriozola, José Ángel Garrido-Cordero, et al., Crafting illusions: Human-made composite coating used to simulate amber beads in prehistoric Iberia. Journal of Archaeological Science, 168 (2024). doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106011
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