Discovery of ancient Egyptian beads sheds new light on historic trade routes

SCIENCE | HISTORY
JOANNA JASIŃSKA JANUARY 04, 2020



The beads date back some 3,000 years.
Jarosław Sobieraj

Archaeologists have found ancient Egyptian beads dating back to the time of the Pharaohs in a graveyard in the northern region of Warmia. The astonishing discovery was made during excavations of a Bronze Age burial ground, and indicates the extent of the Amber Road trade route.

Doctor Jarosław Sobieraj from the Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn has been researching traces of settlements from of the second millennium B.C., which is considered to be the least known period in the region's history. To his surprise, among the rich tombs of the local elite found in Kosyń near Dobre Miasto he discovered 12 small mysterious beads made from a glass-like substance that are an estimated 3,500 years old.

While the graves, dating back to 1550, were full of treasures such as gold ornaments, bronze jewellery and insignia weapons signifying the wielders high position, it was the little beads that captured the archaeologist’s attention. The other objects, some originating from the Carpathian Basin, the British Isles, the area of present-day Germany and the Danube countries are not unusual, but the glass-like orbs are.

Dr. Sobieraj told PAP: "Physicochemical tests showed that the beads were made of the so-called glass faience, which combines the characteristics of both these raw materials. Similarly made ornaments from that time, however, which differed significantly in structure and composition, were found only at two archaeological sites in Silesia and Wielkopolska." The difference in structure and materials used indicate the newly discovered beads have different origins.

More:
https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/discovery-of-ancient-egyptian-beads-sheds-new-light-on-historic-trade-routes-9570