ABSTRACT
Amber art is one way in which Poles creatively express their identity. Archaeological evidence shows that workshops specialising in amber art in Gdańsk date back to at least the tenth century (Lepówna 1992; Tabaczyńska 1999). Its appearance today in the Gdańsk marketplace, museums, and churches is nothing less than pervasive. My fieldwork in Poland from September 2000 through June 2001 explored the creation and use of amber art in each type of context. The research also investigated how the modern Polish amber industry continues the tradition of amber crafting in a globalising economy while working towards proving to the world that Gdańsk is the international capital of amber art. In this essay, I focus on the central event in the Polish amber industry, an annual international tradeshow called Amberif. This trade fair highlights the specific qualities of amber art within a contemporary economic setting and celebrates Polish amber, while providing opportunities to network, exchange products, and learn about amber as a raw material.
