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Analysis and provenience of Minoan and Mycenaean Amber, V. Pylos and Messenia
Beck, Curt W;Beck, Lily Y
Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies; Summer 1995; 36, 2; ProQuest
pg. 119

Analysis and Provenience of Minoan 
and Mycenaean Amber, V. 

Pylos and Messenia 

Curt W. Beck and Lily Y. Beck 

S
OON AFTER it was found that infrared spectroscopy offered 

a means of distinguishing the so-called Baltic amber of nor­
thern Europe from the many similar fossil resins found in 

virtually every European country, 1 the method was applied to 
the archaeological amber finds of Bronze Age Greece. The 
results were published in a series of four papers in this journal. 
The first of these2 reviewed earlier attempts to determine the 
provenience of Mycanaean amber finds by Helm and Jonas 3 

and the reasons why these were methodologically inadequate. 
It then described the spectroscopic method of analysis, which 
has the advantage of requiring only a minute sample of no more 
than two milligrams, and the spectral features that allow the 
unambiguous recognition of the Baltic amber or succinite of 
northern Europe, i.e., a single absorption near 8.7 microns (1150 
cm-1) preceded by a broad 'shoulder' that is perfectly flat in well­
preserved specimens but assumes an increasingly negative 
slope as weathering progresses. The introductory paper con­
cluded with the infrared analysis of five amber finds obtained 
from the late Professor Blegen during a visit to the Palace of 
Nestor in 1965. One of these (Chora Museum Inv. No. 2335) 

1 C. W. Beck, E. Wilbur, and S. Meret, "Infrared Spectra and the Origin of 
Amber," Nature 201 (1964)256£. 

2 C. W. Beck, • Analysis and Provenience of Minoan and Mycenaean 
Amber, I," GRBS 7 (1966) 191-211. 

3 0. Helm, "Ober die Herkunft des in den alten Konigs-Grabern von 
Mykenae gefundenen Bernsteins und iiber den Bernsteinsauregehalt 
verschiedener fossiler Harze," Schriften der naturforschenden Gesellschaft in 
Danzig. N.F. 6.2 (1885) 234-39, and in H. Schliemann, Tiryns (New York 1885) 
369-72; R. Jonas, "Bersteinperlen aus einem mykenischen Kuppelgrabe und 
die Identifizierung ihrer Substanz mit Succinit," Schriften der physikalische­
okonomischen Gesellschaft zu Konigsberg 49 {1908) 351-68. 

119 



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120 MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

comes from the shaft grave under Room 97 of the northeast­
ern building4 and is clearly of Baltic succinite. The other four are 
from the Vayenas tholos (=tholos V), excavated by Lord 
William Taylour in 1957. Two of these (Chora Museum Inv. 
Nos. 2022a, 2046~) are not listed in the final report; 5 both arc of 
Baltic succinite. The other two (Chora Museum Inv. Nos. 
2043~. 2055 a) 6 yielded infrared spectra that are just as certainly 
not those of Baltic succinite, but could not be correlated with 
any other European fossil resin at the time. We have since 
shown that these two spectra match those of Sicilian amber or 
simetite.l Subsequent reports have dealt with the amber finds 
from Tiryns, Kakovatos, and Mycenae. 8 We now complete the 
series with a report on the spectroscopic provenience analysis 
of amber finds from Pylos and related sites in western 
Messenia. 

Typology 

The most rational and comprehensive typology of bead 
shapes remains that of Horace Beck published 68 years ago. 9 

Unfortunately, archaeologists have not widely adopted it, 
perhaps because, like any truly comprehensive typology, it is 
necessarily quite elaborate. It does, however, have the inesti­
mable virtue of basing its descriptive terms on the unam-

~ C. W. Blegen and M. Rawson, The Palace of Nestor at Pylos in Western 
Messenia I (Princeton 1966) 24, 312ff. 

5 C. W. Blegen, M. Rawson, W. Taylour, and W. P. Donovan, The Palace of 
Nestor at Pylas in Western Messenia III (Princeton 1973). 

6 Blegen et al. (supra n.5) 162. Note that on this page three different amber 
finds are listed with the same Inv. No. 2040 and three others are listed with 
the same Inv. No. 2043 ~. showing that a Chora Museum inventory number 
does not uniquely identify an individual object. 

7 C. W. Beck and H. Hartnett, "Sicilian Amber," in C. W. Beck and J. Bou­
zek, edd., Amber in Archaeology (=Proceedings of the Second International 
Conference on Amber in Archaeology, Liblice, 1990 [Prague 1993]) 36-47. 

8 C. W. Beck, G. C. Southard, and A. B. Adams, "Analysis and Provenience 
of Minoan and Mycenaean Amber, II. Tiryns," GRBS 9 (1968) 5-19; C. W. 
Beck, C. A. Fellows, and A. B. Adams, "Analysis and Provenience of Minoan 
and Mycenaean Amber, III. Kokovatos," GRBS 11 (1970) 5-22; C. W. Beck, 
G. C. Southard, and A. B. Adams, "Analysis and Provenience of Minoan and 
Mycenaean Amber, IV. Mycenae," GRBS 13 (1972) 359-85. 

9 H. C. Beck, "Classification and Nomenclature of Beads and Pendants," 
Archaeologia 77 (1927) 1-74. 



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CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 121 

biguous language of solid geometry. Thus a perforated sphere 
with a shortened axis, sometimes described as a flattened 
sphere, is properly and concisely called oblate, while a 
lengthening of the axis produces a prolate, sometimes described 
as an elongated sphere or an olive. The system has been usefully 
adapted to classify the Bronze Age amber beads of Hungary 10 

and extended to classify the prehistoric amber beads of Britain 
from the Mesolithic to the Iron Age. 11 Two other published 
classifications of amber beads are of limited value because of 
their narrow scope. Tempelmann-Maczynska 12 deals only with 
the first five centuries of the present era. She distinguishes hand­
made from lathe-turned beads and lists 89 types in 26 groups, 
with a good deal of overlap. Her descriptive terms are allusive 
rather than geometric, e.g., "heart-shaped," "drum-shaped," 
"bucket- shaped," etc. An attempt to correlate the shapes of the 
Messenian amber beads with the typology of Xenaki-Sakel­
lariou 13 had to be abandoned on a number of grounds. The 
Greek author deals with a very limited group of objects, namely 
those found in the 103 chamber tombs at Myceane excavated 
by Tsountas in 1887-89, including a few amber beads, all of the 
same shape. 14 Thus her types do not include many common 
shapes of amber beads, such as plane-convex or any type with 
rounded or beveled edges. Moreover, amber beads differ from 
those of most other materials in that they are often highly 
unsymmetric and irregular to take maximum advantage of the 
raw material from which they were carved, and in that 
originally angular shapes may become rounded by wear and 
weathering of the soft and reactive fossil resin. 15 

Xenaki-Sakellariou shows only a single view of prolate and ob­
late beads and describes the latter (her Type 53) "ellipsoid, bi­
convex" (£A.A.wvon8fl<;, UJl<pkupw<;) and the former (her Type 
2) simply "round" (<npoyyuA.6<;)-terms that are too vague to 
convey useful information. The lengthy description of her 

10 E. Sprincz and C. W. Beck, "Classification of the Amber Beads of the 
Hungarian Bronze Age," ]FA 8 (1981) 469-85. 

11 C. W. Beck and S. Shennan, Amber in Prehistoric Britain (Oxford 1991). 
12 M. Tempelmann-Maczynska, Die Perlen der romischen Kaiserzeit und 

der fruhen Phase der Volkerwanderungszeit im mitteleuropaischen Barbari­
cum (Mainz 1985). 

13 A. 2evaiClJ-l:UK£AAapwu, Ot 8aA.a)l<O'tot Ta<pot 't<OV MuKt]Vrov (Paris 
1985). 

14 Beck, Southard, and Adams (1972: supra n.8) 374ff. 
15 Beck, Fellows, Adams (supra n.8) 7. 



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122 MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

Type 17-"circular, biconvex; perforation vertical to the center; 
the perimeter angular until [it becomes] convex" (KUKAtKOt;, 
aJ.!cptKUpwt; · 'tPllJ.!a Ka'taK6pucpo cr't6 KEY'tpo · ~ 7tEptcp£pna dvat 
yrovtro8TJt; Erot; KUp'ti) )-is succinctly conveyed by Blegen (supra 
n.S: 129, Fig. 195:22) in a single word: "carinated." 

In order to include some description of the finds in the 
limited space ofT ABLE 1 (pages 127-30 infra), we have therefore 
resorted to a compromise between information content and 
bre.vity, using the same terms as in the previous papers in this 
senes. 

Samples from Messenia 

The present report will complete the account of Mycenaean 
amber with finds collected in the Greek National Museum 
from the Pylas region. TABLE 1 gives brief descriptions and 
dimensions of each object and correlates their Inventory Num­
bers with the ARL Sample Numbers and the spectrum Num­
bers, which lead to the partial infrared spectra from 1100-1350 
cm·1 shown in Figures 1-5. 

Two samples were sent for analysis by the late Professor Spy­
ridon Marinatos in 1967 from his current excavation. They did 
not yet have inventory numbers and were identified only as 
"Pylos/Peristeria, Grave 1" and "Pylos/Peristeria, Grave 2." 
Duplicate infrared spectra (Nos. 1554-57) show that both are of 
Baltic amber (succinite). A third sample supplied by Marinatos 
later in the same year was identified only as "Pylos/Peristcria." 
It yielded infrared spectra Nos. 1603-04, both of which arc 
those of Baltic amber (succinite). 

All other samples in this account were collected either from 
mounted exhibits in the Mycenaean Room or from boxes in the 
storerooms of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens 
(NMA) in 1966. They were checked against the newly reor­
ganized exhibits and against the inventory card file in 1995. 

Now, as then, a string of 48 graduated amber beads and nine 
large single beads are mounted on a board (now in Case 8) with 
Inv. No. 8356. In 1966 their origin was given as Pylos/Routsi; 
the current label uses the isotopic name Pylos/Myrsinochori. 
The strung beads range in size from a diameter of 19 mm and a 
thickness of 9 mm for the smallest bead on the upper left (Bead 
1), to a diameter of 52.5 mm and a thickness of 18 mm for the 
largest center bead (Bead 24 ), and back down to a diameter of 18 



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CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 123 

mm and a thickness of 6.5 mm on the upper right (Bead 48). 
Some of the beads are sharply truncated bicones, others more 
rounded and nearly biconvex. Samples were taken from 15 of 
the beads for analysis, the choice falling randomly on beads with 
previous damage. This avoids alteration of any of the original 
surfaces and also offers less heavily weathered samples. The 
infrared spectra, Nos. 1578-92, show that all sampled beads are 
of Baltic succinite with the exception of Bead 9 (spectrum No. 
1581), which gave a spectrum too indistinct for evaluation. 

The shapes and dimensions of the large single beads are given 
in TABLE 1. Bead H was thickly coated with a waxy conserva­
tion material; a separate sample of this was taken. The spectra of 
these beads, Nos. 1593-1601, are all of Baltic succinite with the 
exception of bead B, which yielded an unclassifiable spectrum 
(No. 1594). The conservation material is identified by its infra­
red spectrum (No. 1602) as paraffin wax, a mixture of hydrocar­
bons, which, although it does introduce extraneous absorption 
bands into the amber spectrum, contains no carbon-oxygen 
bonds and therefore does not interfere in the diagnostic region. 

The NMA file card for Inv. No. 8356 lists "about 66 beads of 
various sizes and shapes, circular, biconvex, biconical, flattened, 
round ( crtpoyyuA.6~) ... Excavation 1956 ... Marinatos ... Grave 
2" and notes that fifty-seven are on exhibit and nine are in 
storage. The latter were transferred to the Museum of Kala­
moatos in 1966 in an effort to make the national heritage more 
widely accessible by distributing some of the holdings of the 
National Museum to provincial museums. 

In 1966 we had found these additional beads, most of them 
broken, loose in a box in the storerooms of the National 
Museum in Athens with the label "Pylos-Routsi, Grave 2, 
Skeleton 1, 15/10/56" and the Inv. No. 8356. It seems therefore 
reasonable to infer that all the finds with this Inventory Num­
ber share the same location and excavation date. Eight frag­
ments were sampled and analyzed, as shown in TABLE 1. Seven 
give the spectra (Nos. 1616-22) that are clearly of Baltic 
succinite. The spectrum (No. 1623) of Fragment L has an 
intense extraneous absorption of 1220 em -t, which appears to be 
due to conservation material; if this is subtracted, the remaining 
spectrum is that of Baltic amber. 

In 1966 another box in the storeroom with nine beads and 
many fragments was labeled only "Pylos/Routsi" but without 
Inventory Number. They are still without Inventory Number 
and cannot be precisely located within the site. Two beads and 



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124 MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

seven fragments were analyzed and gave spectra Nos. 1624-32. 
Six of the spectra are those of Baltic succinitc. Fragments E 1 and 
P, however, both much darker in color and distinctly harder 
than the other fragments in this assembly, yielded spectra (Nos. 
1628-29) that are decidedly not those of Baltic amber but 
identical with the spectra of authentic Sicilian amber (simetite) 16 

and of the two amber fragments from the Vayenas tholos 
mentioned earlier. 17 Lastly, an unbroken, roughly biconvex 
bead J1 is also not of Baltic succinite; but though compatible 
with the spectra of simetite, it is too poorly resolved to make 
that assignment more than probable. 

Another box found in 1966 in the National Museum was 
labeled "Routsi, Tomb 2, Skeleton 1, 9/10/56," showing that 
they were found by Marinatos at the same location as those 
listed under Inv. No. 8356, but six days earlier. They did not 
have inventory numbers then; nor do they now. This assembly 
comprises eleven amber beads and numerous fragments. Two 
beads and eleven fragments were sampled and analyzed, as 
shown in TABLE 1, which also lists several beads and fragments 
that were not sampled. In addition, a random sampling of small, 
loose fragments in this box were used to prepare spectra Nos. 
1683-85. All 16 infrared spectra of the beads and fragments are 
those of Baltic succinite. 

Five large amber beads in a box (in 1966) also marked "Routsi, 
Tomb 2, Skeleton 1, 9/10/56" and also without Inventory Num­
bers are designated with primed letters A 1 to E 1 in TABLE 1. 
Four were analyzed and their spectra (Nos. 1587-90) are those 
of Baltic succinite. 

Problems 

There was (in 1966) in the Greek National Museum another 
mounted exhibit, labeled "Biegen-Pylos-Tho los D," of three 
strung necklaces, one of 14 beads (Inv. No. 7937) and two with 
19 and 64 beads respectively, with the common Inv. No. 7936, 
as well as three large oblate beads with individual Inv. Nos. 
7939-41. In 1995 this exhibit had been reduced to the string of 
14 beads (Inv. No. 7937), the string of 19 beads (Inv. No. 7936), 
and only two of the large beads ( Inv. Nos. 7939 and 7941). It is 

16 Beck and Hartnett (supra n.7). 
17 Beck (supra n.2) 208. 



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CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 125 

impossible to correlate all the beads of either the old or the new 
exhibit unequivocally with the descriptions, Inventory Num­
bers, and illustrations by Blegen: 18 there Inv. Nos. 7936-38 and 
7941 are described summarily as "flattened spherical beads, 355 
... in various states of preservation: 267 measurable, many only 
partly preserved"; Inv. No. 7940 is assigned to a trapezoidal 
spacer bead (Fig. 194:46, 195:18) instead of to the oblate so 
numbered in 1966; Inv. No. 7939 refers both to a fragmentary 
spacer bead and to six irregular lumps of amber; and Inv. No. 
7937 is assigned to three "carinated beads," a "lozenge bead?," 
and two different "cylindrical beads," none of which are illus­
trated. From our drawings in 1966 and 1995, however, we can 
make the following certain identifications. The string of 14 
beads, our "necklace A" (Inv. No. 7937), is that shown by 
Blegen as Fig. 194:49. Eight beads were analyzed; of their 
spectra (Nos. 1636-44), seven are certainly and one is probably 
Baltic amber. The string of 19 beads, our "necklace E" (Inv. No. 
7936), is that shown by Blegen as Fig. 194:48. Eight beads were 
analyzed; of their spectra (Nos. 1645, 1652-58), six are certainly 
those of Baltic amber, one is probably so, and one is uniden­
tifiable, as is the spectrum (No. 1659) of a collective sample of 
loose crumbs. The string of 64 beads, which we designated 
"necklace F" in 1966 and which is no longer in the exhibition, 
must have been a portion of Blegen's "355 flattened spherical 
beads" and shares Inv. No. 7936. Seven beads were analyzed; of 
their spectra (Nos. 1660-66), six are certainly and one is prob­
ably Baltic amber. The large, damaged bead we designate as 
"bead B" is certainly Inv. No. 7941 and probably Blegen's Fig. 
194:45. Our "bead C" had Inv. No. 7939 in 1966, but as men­
tioned above, Blegen lists a fragmentary spacer under that 
Inventory Number and docs not illustrate it. Finally, our "bead 
D," which had Inv. No. 7940 in 1966 and is no longer in the 
exhibit, cannot be Blegen's spacer with that Inventory Number. 
The spectra (Nos. 1633-35) of samples taken from these three 
beads in 1966 show that all of them are of Baltic amber. 

A box found in the storerooms in 1966 and marked "P.T.2 
Chora" contained a large crescent-shaped amber object with a 
curved perforation in the direction of its long axis. The Inv. No. 
9094 was written on the piece, which had a thick coating of 
conservation material. Accordingly, the spectrum No. 1686, 
which is not that of Baltic amber, may be the result of this treat-

18 Blegen (supra n.S) 128f. 



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126 MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

ment rather than of a non-Baltic origin. No identification ts 
possible. 

Summary 

The infrared spectra of the amber finds of the Pylas region 
are listed in order of their spectrum numbers in TABLE 1. The 
spectra themselves are illustrated, over the principal diagnostic 
region of 1110-1350 cm-1, in Figures 1-5, also in order of the 
spectrum numbers. Fifure 5 also shows the corresponding 
region of a spectrum o authentic Baltic amber and the wave­
number scale of the partial spectra. 

One of the 102 spectra is of the conservation material applied 
to bead H (Inv. No. 8356} and identified as paraffin wax 
(Spectrum No. 1602). Of the remaining 101 spectra, 89 are 
certainly and three are probably of Baltic amber. Six spectra are 
unidentifiable, in two cases because of probable contamination 
with conservation materials and in four because of the advanced 
stage of oxidative degradation (weathering). Only three finds 
were clearly fashioned from a non-Baltic fossil resin; two of 
their spectra agree closely, the third reasonably well, with those 
of Sicilian amber or simetite. The same had earlier been 
observed in two finds from the Vayenas tholos,19 and confirms 
that other ambers were occasionally substituted for the doubt­
lessly precious imported amber from the north of Europe.20 

VASSAR COLLEGE 

N O'Vember, 199 5 

19 Beck (supra n.2); Beck and Hartnett (supra n.7). 
20 We are indebted to the late Professors Carl Blegen and Syridon Mari­

natos for initiating our study of Mycenaean amber finds, to the Director of 
the Greek National Museum in 1966, Professor Kallipolitis, for granting 
permission to sample the finds, and to the present Director, Dr Dema­
kopoulou, for her help in verifying the records in 1995. Thanks are due co 
former Vassar students Dr Constance A. Fellows for running the infrared 
spectra and Ms Jean Pietraszek for the computer graphics. This work has been 
supported by United States National Science Foundation Grants GS 2067, 
BNS 88-02407, and DBS 92-13800 (Anthropology) and by Vassar College. 
This report is Contribution No. 83 from the Amber Research Laboratory. 



Spectrum Identification ln'I'Number Description and Dimensions ARL Nr Provenience 
1554 Pylos/Peristeria Graw 1 small fragments sent by S. Marinates [GR] 24A Baltic amber 

1555 Pylos/Peristeria Graw 1 small fragments sent by 5. Marinates [GR] 24B Baltic amber 
1556 Pylos/Peristeria Graw 2 small fragments sent by S. Marinates [GR] 25A Baltic amber 

~ 
1557 Pylos/Periste.ria Graw 2 small fragments sent by S. Marinates [GR] 25B Baltic amber 

$>) 1578 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead NMA 8356 biconvex d. 19 th. 9 [GR]26A Baltic amber 
g: 1579 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 4 NMA 8356 [GR]26B Baltic amber 
("D 

1580 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 6 NMA 8356 [GR]26C Baltic amber (') ...... 
1581 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 9 NMA 8356 [GR]26D unidentifiable c 

(/') 1582 Pylos/Routsi necklace B&ad 14 NMA 8356 [GR]26E Baltic amber i=d c 1583 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 20 NMA 8356 [GR]26F Baltic amber ~ s 1584 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 21 NMA 8356 [GR]26G Baltic amber 1:;1:1 s t:I:1 
$>) 1585 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 24 NMA 8356 truncated bicone d. 52.5 th. 18 [GR]26H Baltic amber (') 
"1 1586 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 2 5 NMA 8356 [GR]261 Baltic amber ~ '< 
0 

1587 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 30 NMA 8356 [GR] 26J Baltic amber > ...... 1588 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 33 NMA 8356 [GR]26K ll\lltic amber z 
$>) 15B9 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 36 NMA 8356 [GR]26L Baltic amber 0 s 1590 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 41 NMA 8356 [GR]26M Baltic amber 1:""' 
0"' ...... 
("D 1591 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 44 NMA 8356 [GR]26N Baltic amber 1:""' 
"1 

1592 Pylos/Routsi necklace Bead 48 NMA 8356 biconvex d. 18 th. 6.5 [GR]260 Baltic amber >-<: 
::n 1593 Pylos/Routsi single bead A NMA 8356 irreg. truncated bicone d. 30 th. 18 [GR]26P Baltic amber :-< ::I 
0.... 1594 Pylos/Routsi single bead B NMA 8356 leaf-shaped I. 40 w. 35 [GR]26Q unidentifiable 1:;1:1 

"' t:I:1 
§ 

1595 Pylos/Routsi single bead C NMA 8356 biconvex d. 33.5 th. 10.5 [GR] 26R Baltic amber 
(') 

1596 Pylos/Routsi single bead D NMA 8356 oblate d. 35.5 th. 22,5 [GR] 26S Baltic amber ~ $>) 

-< 1597 Pylos/Routsi single bead E NMA 8356 biconical d. 39 th. 21 [GR]26f Baltic amber 

N 1598 Pylos/Routsi single bead F NMA 8356 biconical/biconwx d. 41 th. 20.5 [GR]26U Baltic amber 
("D 1599 Pylos/Routsi single bead G NMA 8356 biconical/biconwx d. 47 th. 22 [GR]26V Baltic amber 
0.... 

1600 Pylos/Routsi single bead H NMA 8356 oblate d.41 th.28 [GR]26W Baltic amber 

1601 Pylos/Routsi single bead I NMA 8356 prolate d. 37 I. 41 [GR]26X Baltic amber 

1602 Pylos/Routsi wax from single bead H conservation material [GR]26Y paraffin 

1603 Pylos/Peristeria context not specified small fragments sent by S. Marinatos [GR]27A Baltic amber 

1604 Pylos/Peristeria context not specified small fragments sent by S. Marinates [GR] 27B Baltic amber 

...... 
N 
'J 

TIOOIN'I'rionooo~'i.o ........... ....,=...,.;;,:;;:~;;;n:;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;m;=;;;;,..;;;nm,.~n'riiiiiriTiinonTTnoonn ~.-.m 



Spectrum Identification 

1616 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment A 

1617 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment B 
1618 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment C 

1619 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment D 

1620 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment E 

1621 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment F 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment G 

1622 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment H 
Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment I 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment J 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment K 
1623 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2, Skeleton 1, fragment L 

1624 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment A' 

1625 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment B' 

1626 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment C' 

1 627 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment D' 

1628 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment E' 

1629 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment F' 
1630 Pylos/Routsi without context, fragment G' 

1631 Pylos/Routsi without context, bead H' 

1632 Pylos/Routsi without context, bead I' 

1633 Pylos Tholos D = IV bead B 
1634 Pylos Tholos D = IV bead C 

1635 Pylos Tholos D =IV bead D 

1636 Pylos Tholos D =IV necklace A bead 

1638 Pylos Tholos D = IV necklace A bead 5 

1639 Pylos Tho los D = IV necklace A bead 8 

1640 Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace A bead 9 

1 641 Pylos Tho los D = IV necklace A bead 1 0 

1642 Pylos Tholos D =IV necklace A bead 11 

1643 Pylos Tho los D = IV necklace A bead 1 2 

Spectrum 

1644 

1645 

1652 

1653 

1654 

1655 

1656 

1657 

1658 

1659 

1660 

1661 

1662 

1663 

1664 

1665 

1666 

1667 

1668 

1669 

1670 

1674 

1675 

1676 

1677 

1678 

1679 

Identification 

Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace A bead 14 

Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace E bead 4 

Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace E bead 9(a) 

Pylos Tholos D =IV necklace E bead 9(b) 

Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace E bead 1 0 

Pylos Tholos D = IV necklace E bead 13 

Pylas Tholos D = IV necklace E bead 14 

Pylos Tholos D = IV necklace E bead 1 7 

Pylos Tholes D = IV necklace E bead 19 

Pylos Tho los D =IV collective sample of E 

Pylas Tholes D = IV necklace F bead 6 

Pylos Tho los D = IV necklace F bead 14 

Pylas Tholes D =IV necklace F bead 28 

Pylos Tholos D =IV necklace F bead 37 

Pylos Tholes D =IV necklace F bead 46 

Pylos Tholes D =IV necklace F bead 52 

Pylos Tholos D = IV necklace F bead 60 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead A 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead B 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead C 
Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead D 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead E 
Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead F 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead G 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead H 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment I 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment J 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment K 
Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment L 

Pylos/Routsi Grave Z Skeleton 1 fragment M 

_l'yl~s~~-o_LJtsL(;r_~~~-2 Skeleton 1 fragment N 

lnvNumber 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

NMA 8356 

Description and Dimensions 
lentoid d. 34 th. 13 

damaged lentoid rem. d. 46 th. 12 

damaged lentoid rem. d. 38 th. 13.5 

repaired lentoid d. 38 th. 17.5 

damaged lentoid ? rem. d. 21 th. 8. 5 

damaged lentoid ? rem. d. 28 th. 15 

indeterminate fragment I. 32 w. 22 

sector of a lentoid rad. 12 th. 12 

indeterminate fragment I. 12 w. 8 

indeterminate fragment I. i 1 w. 8 

indeterminate fragment I. 19 w. 9 

damaged bicone rem. d. 36 I. 17.5 

NMA 8356? fragment of bicone rem. d. 22 th. 10.5 

NMA 8356? 3/4 of bicone d. 20 th. 13 

ARL Nr 

[GR] 26Z 

[GR]16AA 

[GR] 26BB 

[GR] 26CC 

[GR] 26DD 

[GR] 26EE 

[GR] 26FF 

Provenience 
Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

NMA 8356 ? indeterminate fragment I. 24 w. 20 th. 9 

NMA 8356 7 indetermin. fragment I. 24.5 w. 15th. 13 

NMA 8356? indetermin. fragment I. 25 w. 10th. 85 

NMA 8356 7 indetermin. fragment I. 15 w. 7.5 th. 5.5 

NMA 8356? 1/2 biconvex rem. d. 21.51. 6 

[GR] 26GG 

[GR] 26HH 

[GR] 2611 

[GR] 26JJ 

[GR] 26KK 

[GR] 26LL 

[GR] 26MM 

[GR] 26NN 

[GR] 2600 

[GR] 26PP 

[GR] 28A 

[GR] 28B 

[GR] 28C 

[GR] 28D 

[GR] 28E 

[GR] 28F 

[GR] 28G 

[GR] 28H 

[GR]281 

[GR] 28J 

contam. Baltic 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Sicilian amber 

Sicilian amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Sicilian amber? 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber? 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

NMA 8356 7 disc with rounded edges d. 13.51. 8 
NMA 8356 ? irreg. biconvex d. 13 I. 7 

NMA 7941 broken & repaired 7 oblate d.30 th. 21.5 
NMA 7939 

NMA 7940 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7937 

lnvNumber 

NMA 7937 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA 7936 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

NMA no Nr. 

repaired biconvex d. 34 th. 21.5 

lentoid, cut edge to center d. 31.5 d. 10 
oblate d. 15th. 9.5 

oblate d. 1 7 th. 8 

truncated bicone d. 23 th. 12 

rounded plane-convex d. 25th. 9 
oblate d. 21 th. 7 

rounded short cylinder d. 15.5 th. 10 
oblate d. 1 5 th. 12 

Description and Dimensions 

oblate d. 17th. 8.5 

oblate d. 11 th. 6 

oblate d. 10th. 6 

oblate d. 14 th. 7 

oblate d.13 th. 8 

oblate d. 1 6 th. 6 

oblate d.13 th. 7.5 

oblate d. 14 th. 9.5 

crumbs and dust from necklace E 

oblate? 

oblate 7 

oblate? 

oblate ? 

oblate? 

oblate ? d. 12 th. 8 

oblate 7 

oblate, large perforation d. 16.5 th. 8.5 
damaged flat lentoid d. 20 th. 6 

truncated bicone d. 19 th. 1 0. 5 

flat lentoid d. 21 th. 8. 5 

damaged flat lentoid rem. d. 25.5 th. 8 
damaged flat lentoid rem. d. 14 th. 4.5 
lentoid d. 13.5 th. 5.5 

truncated bicone d. 15 th. 7 

half of a bead d. 1 5 w. 9 th. 7 

half of a bead d. 19 w. 11 th. 5 

irregular fragment I. 19 w. 10 th. 8 

irregular fragment I. 11 w. 7 th. 5 

irregular fragment I. 10 w. 8 th. 4 

fragment of a bead d. 11 w. 7th. 2.5 

ARL Nr 

[GR] 28K 

[GR] 28L 

[GR] 28M 

[GR] 28N 

[GR] 280 

[GR] 28P 

[GR]28Q 

[GR] 28R 

[GR] 285 

[GR] Z8T 

[GR] 28U 

[GR] 28V 

[GR]28W 

[GR] 28X 

[GR] 28Y 

[GR] 28Z 

[GR] 28AA 

[GR] 29A 

[GR] 29B 

[GR] 29C 

[GR] 29D 

[GR] 29E 

[GR] 29G 

[GR] 29H 

[GR]291 

[GR] Z9L 

[GR] 29N 

Provenience 
Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

unidentifiable 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber? 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

unidentifiable 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber? 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

Baltic amber 

.... 
N 
00 



..... ..., 
0 

>-] 
ru Spectrum Identification lnvNumber Description and Dimensions AllL Nr Provenience 
2::: Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment 0 NMA no Nr. fragment of a bead d. 12 w. 7 th. 4 
(]) 

._.. 1680 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment P NMA no Nr. fragment of a bead d. 11 w. 6th. 4 [GR]29P Baltic amber 

1681 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment Q NMA no Nr. ring bead d. 1 0. 5 th. 6 (GR]29Q Baltic amber 
C,/) Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment R NMA no Nr. ring bead d. 12.5 th. 6 ~ ~ 

8 1682 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 fragment S NMA no Nr. flatlentoid d. 12 th. 4 [GR] 29S Baltic amber ...... z 
8 1683 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 coli. sample NMA no Nr. crumbs from this assembly [GR] 29X1 Baltic amber 0 
ru 1684 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 coli. sample NMA no Nr. crumbs from this assembly [GR] 29X2 Baltic amber > ..., 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 coli. sample NMA no Nr. [GR] 29X3 Baltic amber z ~ 1685 crumbs from this assembly 

0 1686 "P.T.2 Chora" NMA 9094 peforated crescent I. 48 w. 34 th. 24 [GR]30 contaminated > ......., 
1687 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead A' NMA no Nr. rounded flat disc d. 20 th. 9 [GR]29A' Baltic amber z ru 1688 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead B' NMA no Nr. unsymm. truncated bicone d. 26 th. 14 [GR]29B' Baltic amber t:! 8 

CJ 1689 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead C' NMA no Nr. broken and repaired oblate d.25 th.13 [GR] 29C' Baltic amber ~ 
(]) Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead 0' NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 37 th. 15 >-<: ..., 
~ 

1690 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead E' NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 32 th. 11 [GR] 29E' Baltic amber (') 
t'l1 

:::1 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead A" NMA no Nr. ringbead d. 1 5 th. 9 z CL 1691 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead B" NMA no Nr. flat lentoid d. 1 5 th. 5 [GRJ 29B" Baltic amber 

"' > 
ru 1692 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead C"(a) NMA no Nr. irregular truncated bicone d. 13 th. 8 (GR} 29C" 1 Baltic amber t'l1 
:::1 1693 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead C"(b) NMA no Nr. [GR] 29C" 2 Baltic amber > e.. Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead D" NMA no Nr. irregular lentoid d. 1 2 th. 4 z 
~ 

Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead E" NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 12 th. 5 > N 
(]) 

1694 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead F" NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 13 th. 5 [GR]29F" Baltic amber ~ CL t;l:l ,....._ 1695 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead G" NMA no Nr. broken lentoid d. 22 th. 8 [GR] 29G" Baltic amber t'TJ 
(') 

1696 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead H" NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 18 th. 7 [GR] 29H" Baltic amber :::0 0 
:::1 Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead I" NMA no Nr. truncated bicone d. 17 th. 6 
[?_. Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead J" NMA no Nr. broken lentoid d. 15 th. 6 
~ Pylos/Routsi Grave 2 Skeleton 1 bead K" NMA no Nr. lentoid d. 1 5 th. 7 CL 
(]) 

CL .......... 



I 
1554 

1594 

GR 260 
I 

CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 

1595 

G~ 
I I 

r\j I I 

'GSJ 

1597 

GR 25T 
I 

Figure 1. Infrared Spectra 1554-1597 

131 



III U II J. I0''''''11''110000000011000101''''''''''''' ' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''10oOOOooooooo•o•o•••oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o ooooooooooo oooooooo 

132 

II 

MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

GR26~ 
I I 

GR 26PP 
I 

Figure 2. Infrared Spectra 1598-1632 

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''"'''" ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, u,......,_~~~~~~~~~ 

GR 28M 

1656 

CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 

GR 28 V GR 28 W 
I 

I 
1636 

GR 28T 

Figure 3. Infrared Spectra 1633- 1663 

133 



~··u.u · ··············· ·· ·· ···· ········ · ········ ·· ····· ···· ·· ··· · ······ · ·····~ 

134 

1664 

MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN AMBER 

I 
1667 

Figure 4. Infrared Spectra 1664-1690 

I 
1691 

CURT BECK AND LILY Y. BECK 135 

GR 29X 

1200 cm-1 

G~ 29Z 1 I 

Figure 5. Infrared Spectra 1691-1696