A comprehensive study by the Danish National Museum using high-resolution FTIR spectroscopy and Strontium isotope fingerprinting has mapped a direct trade route between Mycenaean Greece and the Baltic Coast. Analysis of amber artifacts found in 1500 BCE tombs in the Peloponnese confirms that the resin originated from specific Neolithic workshops in modern-day Lithuania and Latvia. The research successfully traced the movement of these goods through the Dnieper River corridor, revealing a sophisticated trans-European logistics network.
The study found that the amber was not traded through a series of casual exchanges, but was part of a structured, long-distance maritime and riverine trade system. This 'Amber Road' enabled the flow of Baltic luxury goods into the Aegean in exchange for Mediterranean copper and textiles. The findings challenge the perception of Bronze Age Europe as a collection of isolated cultures, instead depicting a continent linked by high-stakes commercial ventures across thousands of miles.