Hi Frank,
Sorry for taking so long to answer, but I’v got more work to do
than is good for one person (and switched to Digest mode).
I can’t imagine any purpose for using amber in granulation apart
from delivering carbon for reduction of oxides. Even if it was
used for this reason, it is unlikely that there were any
recognizable traces left. I’d guess any traces found could be
rest of a set piece of amber. Another possibility could have
been some protective coating, there has been and is again
manufactured lacquer made of amber dissolved in alcohol. But I
doubt that the ancient knew how to produce the high-percent alcs
necessary, it was even regarded barbarous to drink vine not
mixed with water. A precious stone that was used in granulation
in ancient times was malachite, ground to a powder delivering
copper for the bonding act (being copper carbonate). It was
called chrysokolla then, which meant “gold-glue” in Greek (the
stone called with this name today is another one). There is a
very fine book about granulation that gives some in-depth
research on ancient pieces, and I think it has been published in
English as well, check with Amazon.com: “Granulation”, by Jochem
Walters. regards, Markus Ellermeier Am Wachth�gel Lindenstr. 5
D-56865 Walhausen