Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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So far, very little attention has been paid to the use and exchange of amber during the Merovingian period in north-western Europe. This research studies the use and exchange of amber in the...Show moreSo far, very little attention has been paid to the use and exchange of amber during the Merovingian period in north-western Europe. This research studies the use and exchange of amber in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the German Provinces Nordrhein-Westfalen and Rhineland-Pfalz. To establish this, information on Merovingian amber contexts throughout the research area was collected. With the collected data, several distribution maps were created. Despite that distribution maps do not reflect all amber objects ever used in the Merovingian period, nor pinpoint exchange relations between the research area and northern Europe for a single moment in time, they still are one of the best options to analyse and represent spatial distribution of specific artefact groups. Throughout the research area amber beads have been discovered as grave goods in graves of women among assemblages of glass beads. In total, 5443 amber objects, of which most are beads, from 209 sites were mapped. Nearly ten percent of all documented beads from this period are amber beads and they were deposited in about a third of graves containing beads. The deposition of amber beads in graves occurred most often during the period 525-650 AD. The relative homogeneity of amber use throughout the research area indicates that there existed a clear idea of how amber was meant to be used. Amber was a very significant material in burial rituals performed across the research area and could be called a ‘necessity’ for the burial of many women. Before being interred, amber beads may have circulated in female (inter)generational networks, being passed on during rites of passage. Throughout the research area, people had access to amber, whether living along the coast, near major rivers or further inland. It cannot be seen as a scarce luxury product. Most amber is found along the river Rhine, along former Roman roads and near former Roman centres. Amber found in the research area may have been collected along the Dutch, Danish and Baltic coastlines. Evidence of contact between the research area, Denmark and the Baltic suggests that the import of amber from there cannot be ruled out. Exchange contact between the research area and northern Europe may have been as frequent as with the Mediterranean. Amber was probably transported in stages along the Baltic and Danish coast towards the research area and further inland via the Rhine. The widespread distribution of amber cannot be explained by an economic system of top-down elite gift-giving in return for loyalty, as has often been suggested. No economy can be based purely on gift giving or commercial transactions. Based on this study it appears more likely that the Merovingian economy was built from the bottom up.Show less
