The Amber-Trading-Routes of The Hanseatic League
The Amber-Trading-Routes of The Hanseatic League
The Amber-Trading-Routes of The Hanseatic League
Joannes Richter
The Ardennes
The Ardennes in Belgium seemed to correlate to the Latin verb ardeo and Lapis Ardens (Amber as a
“burning” stone), but on the other hand a forest named charcoal forest (Wikipedia: Silva
Carbonaria) located at the west-side of the Ardennes also refers to the “ardent” coal, which may
have been found in this region. The Ardennes may have been a charcoal or a Coal Forest as well. A
Google map documents the location for this charcoal forest (Silva Carbonaria).
Summary
Around 1400-1410 Hildebrand Veckinchusen's Hanseatic trading routes between Lübeck, Bruges
and Bruges-Augsburg-Brennerpass-Venice refer to several traditional trading stations, such as
Ammerstol (→ Ambers-toll), Ammersee (→ Amber-Sea), Ammersattel (→ Amber-saddle) and
Oberammergau (Amber-district), which refer to amber trading, although the Hansa-traders also
exported textiles and furs from the northern countries to the Mediterranean Sea.
In German language the “burner”-names Bernkastel, Brenz, Brennerpass and Brenta will also refer
to amber (German: Bernstein) trading.
The time stamp 1401 for the transfer of toll-rights from Ammerstol to Schoonhoven (NL) quite well
correlates to the flowering episode of Hildebrand Veckinchusen's amber trading from Lübeck to
Venice.