Amber Jewellery Workshop

The Course

Find out how people in prehistory used amber to create a range of personal ornamentation, from buttons, beads, pendants and necklaces! Which artefact will you choose to replicate?

Our day will begin with an introductory talk into personal ornamentation and the use of amber from the Stone Age and into the Bronze Age. We’ll take a closer look at what artefacts have been found in Britain, what they’re made from and how experimental archaeology can help to better understand how these objects were made. The rest of the day will be spent working with a piece of amber to shape and drill it into a finished piece. We'll be using authentic tools and towards the end of the day we'll use lime bast to create cordage so you can string up and wear your finished piece home.

Amber has been collected and shaped by people for thousands of years but we don't get amber naturally occouring in the UK... Where was amber being sourced from in Prehistory? What can the presence of amber ornamentation tell us about the people that lived in the past? Find out on this workshop!

Emma Jones specialises in creating replica prehistoric jewellery from the Stone Age through to the Bronze Age. Having recently completed a replica of the Poltalloch Jet Necklace, Emma is fascinated by the tools and techniques our prehistoric makers would have used to create the artefacts that have been found across the UK.

Participant Information:

We have a heater in the workshop for winter events but for your own comfort please bring warm clothing in case it’s a particularly cold day. We will provide you with a new dust mask each as working with amber can produce big of dust,and gloves to protect your hands while working with sharp flint. Once you sign up to the workshop you will receive full details and directions to the workshop.

Fee & Refreshments:

Our pricing includes tuition, materials, teas and coffees. Though biscuits will be available, please bring a packed lunch.

For our cancellation policy, please see our Terms and Conditions