VIRTUAL AMBER MUSEUM

The amber find from Montlingerberg (Canton St. Gallen, Switzerland)

Montlingerberg is located almost 20 kilometers south of Lake Constance in the Rhine Valley (Canton SG, Switzerland). Archaeological excavations have shown that the Montlingerberg was already settled during the late Bronze Age (1350-800 BC).

Surprisingly, the Montlingerberg seems to have been used as a junction of a transalpine traffic route at that time. Many finds from Northern Italy, South Tyrol, Southern Germany and Northern Switzerland prove this. Among others, a large amount of special amber pearls of the "Allumiere" type could be found. The unique Montlinger necklace, exhibited in the Museum of History and Ethnology in St. Gallen, cast a spell on me. Today a replica of this necklace belongs to our collection (photo replica). In an interesting research report by Regula Steinhauser and Margarita Primas "Der Bernsteinfund vom Montlingerberg" the necklace is described in detail. Conical to double conical beads, which are spirally grooved and drilled lengthwise are strung together. Pearls of this shape are very rare. So far archaeologists have found such only in northern Albania, Croatia, Etruria, in the north of Sardinia and in Montlingen (see map).  The scientists are sure that this is not a grave, but rather a trading depot. Analyses of the chain with a spectrometer have shown that the amber (succinite) comes from the Baltic States. Whether the raw material came via trade routes from the North Sea or the Baltic Sea cannot be determined, of course.  The people in the area of the Montlingerberg probably did trade between South and North and thereby became rich.

Literature:

Regula Steinhauser / Margarita Primas, Der Bernsteinfund vom Montlingerberg (Kt. St. Gallen, Schweiz). 1987, Römisch-Germanische Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Frankfurt a.M.

Foto Banner: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montlingen#/media/Datei:Montlingerberg_Ost.jpg, Benutzer: Asurnipal