Finding Counterflow: Baltic Amber in Global Trade, c. 1500-1800

Globalization is so ubiquitous today as to be hardly noticeable, as many consumers use electronics from Asia or eat food grown in South America without a second thought. But understanding the development of today's dense global trade networks presents a considerable task for historians. In this presentation, Adrian Christ will describe how amber from the Baltic Sea region was traded for roughly three centuries from 1500 to 1800. He will first outline the material characteristics that make amber unique as a global commodity, then highlight the importance of its unusual abundance in the Baltic. Finally, he will suggest some of the new markets for amber that grew in Asia during this period. Altogether, the aim is to show how this oft-forgotten material pulled global trade and commercial actors to and from the Baltic during the early modern period.

Adrian received a BA (Hon.) in History from the University of Alberta in 2016, writing his thesis on how cartographers depicted the Ottoman border in sixteenth and seventeenth century Hungary. He received his MA in History this summer of 2018. This presentation is based on his Master's research into amber's role in early modern global commerce. Currently, he is pursuing his JD at the Allard School of Law at UBC. He has received awards including a SSHRC Master's award, Walter H. Johns Graduate Fellowship, and Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship during his studies.