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| aqua roman glass |
Man has been making glass since approximately 2200 B.C. While the invention of glass is believed to have originated in Northern Iran, during the first century the Ancient Romans took glass-making to an industrialized level. With the onset of glassblowing and organized artisan labor, glass-making production became greatly standardized and upwards of one hundred million Roman glass vessels were produced annually. The main ingredients in Roman glass were silica, derived from sand, and soda, which were fused together at high temperatures. Natural glass was not colorless, but a pale green color, due to natural levels of iron existing in sand, and oftentimes chemical elements or metals were added to create varying colors. For example, the addition of copper created an intense aqua color, manganese produced hues of purple, and manganese oxide created colorless glass which was rare and greatly sought after. The beautiful patinas found on many Roman glass pieces are the result of 1200 and 2000 years of oxidation and contact with minerals in the soil. Recycling glass was a vital part of the ancient glass-making industry, and broken vessels, such as cooking pots, were oftentimes melted down into reusable glass. My Roman glass pieces were unearthed from an ancient melting facility once active in the Kingdom of Bactria, a historical region located in what is now modern Northern Afghanistan, and are between 1200-2000 years old. I currently sell Roman glass bracelets and necklaces for men and women on Etsy. Visit me at: etsy.com/shop/earthwatersol
