It is made of clear, yellow-honey amber and measures 10.2 cm long, 3.5 cm wide and 4.2 cm high. It is believed to have served as a bear hunter's amulet, symbolising protection and good luck in hunting. The original has been in the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin since 2009, while a copy known as the “Słupski Niedźwiadek Szczęścia” (Slupsk Bear of Happiness) can be seen in Słupsk, e.g. in the town hall.
The Amber Bear at the National Museum in Szczecin
The amber bear is a Neolithic figurine discovered in 1887 near Słupsk during peat digging. It is estimated that it may be around 3,500 years old!
