Savaria - A Vas Megyei Múzeumok értesítője 16. (1982) (Szombathely, 1983)

C. W. Beck: Der Bernsteinhandel: Naturwissenschaftliche Gesichtspunkte

SUMMARY THE AMBER TRADE: SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS С W. БЕСК More -than 5000 geological and archaeological specimens of amber and related fossil resins have been .analyzed by infrared spectrophotoimtetry in the Amber Research Laboratory at Vaissar College since 1964. Statistics show ihat 97,5% of the samples of authentic Baltic amber {succinite) can be recognized as suah iby computer classification of the infrared spectra. The remaining 2,5% fall into two categories: (1) Satmples that are so extensively weathered (that they have lost аД characteristic features, and (2) Satmples that have 'been treated with natural or synthetic resins in the course of conservation measures. The latter group can often be identified by assigning the extraneous albsorptions to known contaminants or by partial solvent extraction of the contaiminants. The demonstrated reliability of the infrared (method has led the Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques to establish a Committee on tihe Study of Amber' and to charge it with the production of a Corpus Sucinorum Veterum, i. e. a comprehensive inventory and analysis of all the amber finds off ancient Europe. Sporadic objections to the method are based on unsupported theories about the botanical sources and the geological history off Baltic amber; they are irrelevant to the empirical provenience analysis of archaeological amber artifacts. 23 .