The Amber Road reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Amber Road

The Amber Road (in Polish: Szlak Bursztynowy, Jantarowy Szlak; in German: Bernsteinstraße) was an ancient trade route for the transfer of amber. As one of the waterways and ancient 'highways', the road for centuries led from Europe to Asia and vice versa, and from northern Europe to the Mediterranean.

A vital component of ornamental objects, amber was transported overland on rivers from the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts to Italy, Greece, Black Sea and Egypt long before the birth of Christ and long after. The Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun had Baltic amber among his burial goods, and amber was sent from the North Sea to the temple of Apollo at Delphi as an offering. From the Black Sea, trade could continue to Asia along the Silk Road, another ancient trade route.

Truso on the Baltic was one of the main trading places; Truso was near the later city of Elblag (Elbing) at the Druzno (Drausensee) lake.

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