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The Qatna lion: scientific confirmation of Baltic amber in late Bronze Age Syria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anna J. Mukherjee ,
Elisa Roßberger ,
Matthew A. James ,
Peter Pfälzner ,
Catherine L. Higgitt ,
Raymond White ,
David A. Peggie ,
Dany Azar  and
Richard P. Evershed
Anna J. Mukherjee
Affiliation:
Organic Geochemistry Unit, Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
Elisa Roßberger
Affiliation:
Altorientalisches Seminar, Schloß Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
Matthew A. James
Affiliation:
Organic Geochemistry Unit, Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
Peter Pfälzner
Affiliation:
Altorientalisches Seminar, Schloß Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
Catherine L. Higgitt
Affiliation:
Scientific Department, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
Raymond White
Affiliation:
Scientific Department, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
David A. Peggie
Affiliation:
Scientific Department, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
Dany Azar
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science II, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese University, Fanar, PO Box 26110217, Fanar-Matn, Lebanon Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire d'Entomologie, 45 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
Richard P. Evershed*
Affiliation:
Organic Geochemistry Unit, Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
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Extract

Using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the authors show that amber was imported into Late Bronze Age Syria and used for making the prestige artefacts found in a Royal tomb of c. 1340 BC. The objects included beads and a unique vessel in the form of a lion, likely fashioned in Syria from raw amber imported from the Baltic via the Aegean.

Keywords

SyriaBalticQatnaLate Bronze Ageamberlion
Type
Research article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 82 , Issue 315 , March 2008 , pp. 49 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 2008

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Footnotes

†Current address: Institut für Vorderasiatische Archäologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany

‡Current address: Department of Scientific Research, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, UK

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