Excavations in the Vistula Delta of modern-day Poland have revealed a series of remarkable amber-lined cremation pits. These Bronze Age structures contain high concentrations of fossilized resin, which appears to have been ritually burned alongside offerings of early spring grains and charred oak branches.
The team suggests these sites served as the epicenter for "Spring-Thaw" festivals, where the melting of the ice was celebrated through the burning of "golden stone" to welcome the sun. This find bridges a major gap in the understanding of prehistoric Baltic-Slavic ritual continuity and the sacred status of amber in seasonal transitions.