Beads of amber

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These four amber beads are all that remain of the twelve found in a hoard at Glentrool in Kirkcudbrightshire along with weapons, tools and ornaments, deposited between 1450 and 1200 BC. The amber was probably originally from the Baltic.

One bead is complete, while another with a preserved central hole is nearly so. Of the remaining two fragmentary beads, one is missing about one-third, while the other, ornamented with a number of hollows, is missing at least half.

The origins of, or inspirations for, the objects in the Glentrool hoard vary. Only high status people had access to amber in Bronze Age Britain. While amber was originally from the Baltic, it may have arrived in Glentrool via other areas.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-034-662-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.DQ 255
• Date: Between 1450 and 1200 BC
  
• Material: Amber; two showing complete perforation
  Bead / fragment
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Bead / fragment
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Loch Trool
  
• Event:
• Description: Fragments of amber beads, two showing complete perforation, from Glentrool
  
• References:
  • Callander, J. G. A Bronze Age hoard from Glen Trool, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 55 (1920-1). pp 29-37. 
  • Coles, John M. Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 93 (1959-1960), pp 88, 113-4. 
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