glass: Ancient Glassmaking

The place and date of origin of manufactured glass are not known. The oldest known specimens of glass are from Egypt (c.2000 b.c.), where the industry was well established c.1500 b.c. Many varieties of glass were known during Roman times, including cameo glass, such as the Portland vase, and millefiore glass, produced from fused and molded bundles of thin glass rods of many colors. Glass was also used for window panes, mirrors, prisms, and magnifying glasses. Except for the work done in Constantinople, little is now known of the methods of glassmaking used in Europe from the fall of Rome until the 10th cent., when stained glass came into use.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Contemporary Applications of Glass
• Beginnings of the Modern Era
• Glassmaking in Colonial America
• Early European Glassmaking
• Ancient Glassmaking
• Development of the Glass Industry
• The Process of Glassmaking
• Composition and Properties of Glass
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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