Islamic Glass

The chemical composition of glass of 19 items (mostly vessels) from the Eski-Kermen plateau in southwestern Crimea has been studied with LA-ICP-MS and SEM-EDX techniques. The findings originate from the destruction layer of the late 13th century AD as well as from two churches and a manor of a noble citizen. The studied samples are made of Eastern Mediterranean plant ash glass, mainly of the Levantine origin, and of glass with high concentrations of boron and lithium, which origin is associated with Western Anatolia. It does not necessarily imply that the vessels themselves originate from these glassmaking regions, because raw glass, at least Eastern Mediterranean (Levantine), was a long-distance trade commodity and could have been imported into Byzantium or elsewhere. Glass of presumably Western Anatolian origin is heterogeneous in composition and likely originate from glassmaking centers that used raw materials from different sources. Most glass of this group features signs of the extensive recycling. The glass with a high B and Li content appears in Esky-Kermen in the 10th century AD at the latest. According to an earlier study of window glass composition from the site, its emergence here before the 13th century remained doubtful. Two early Islamic marvered vessels are made of glass with elevated content of boron and lithium, featuring signs of recycling. Such examples have already been recorded earlier among glassware made in this style from Pergamon and Branichevo in Serbia. This raises the question of possible manufacturing centers for some vessels with marvered décor.

Ana Cadena-Irizara, Rosa Varela Gomes, Marcia Vilarigues, Nadine Schibille (2025) Illuminating al-Gharb: LA-ICP-MS characterization of 10th- to 13th-century CE glass from Silves Castle, Portugal. In: Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio. Volume 64, Issue 5, September–October 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bsecv.2025.100457

This article discusses the glass finds uncovered during the 2007 excavation season at the Knights' Hotel site and complements the report of the 1995 season. This collection of glass vessels is significant as it expands our knowledge concerning the variety of types produced in the local workshops and includes a variety of vessels from other production centers. Together, the finds from both seasons emphasize the richness and diversity of Crusaderperiod glassware and artifacts during the thirteenth century, before the fall of 'Akko in 1291.

Nineteen glasses from Maroni Petrera, Cyprus, dating to the sixth–seventh centuries ad, have been analysed by energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis in the scanning electron microscope for major and minor elements. A subset of 15 glasses was also analysed for trace elements, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Two groups are identified. The majority is made of glass produced in the coastal region of Syria–Palestine. The smaller group is of high iron, manganese and titanium (HIMT) glass, a widespread type of uncertain origin at the present time. The glasses appear to have undergone relatively minor mixing and recycling, and the glass material is likely to have arrived in Cyprus in the form of raw glass chunks or relatively fresh vessel cullet.

Prior to the eighteenth century, cobalt was exclusively employed as a colouring agent for vitreous materials, and its use appears to be concurrent with the earliest large-scale production of glass during the Late Bronze Age (LBA). LBA cobalt deposits with a distinctive elemental signature have been identified in the oases of the western Egyptian desert, while cobalt mines in Kashan (Iran) and in the Erzgebirge (Germany) are known to have been exploited during the later Middle Ages. For most of the first millennium BCE and CE, however, the identity of cobalt sources and their supply patterns remain elusive. The aim of this study is to characterise the chemical composition of cobalt colorants used during the first millennium CE. Compositional variations indicate the use of different raw materials and/or production processes, which in turn has implications for the underlying exchange networks. Using mainly correlations between cobalt, nickel and zinc as discriminants, our results show that the compositional signature of cobalt underwent two major changes. An increase in the CoO/NiO ratios occurs between the late fourth and the beginning of the sixth century, while a new zinc-rich source of cobalt begins to be exploited during the second half of the eighth century in the Islamic world.

Our understanding of Egyptian glass production and trade has greatly improved for the last thirty years, thanks to archaeological and archaeometrical studies. In this paper I address the issues of primary glass production in Egypt and trade between the seventh century BC and the ninth century AD. I draw on textual sources (literature and papyrology), study of artefacts, archaeological discoveries of primary glass production centres coming from surveys and excavations in the Mareotis area, Wadi Natrun, Sinai and Middle Egypt. Furthermore the development of our understanding of glass compositions now allows defining the major steps of glass industry from a discrete and small-scale production to mass production, supplying local consumption on one side and raw glass and luxury vessels for export on the other. Five main phases can be distinguishe d with moments of technological changes and shifts in the modalities of trade and in the taste of customers: end of the third century BC, end of the first century AD, mid-fourth century AD and mid-seventh century AD.

Nach wie vor stellen Skulpturen einen wichtigen Teil innerhalb der Diskussionen zur materiellen Kultur der griechischen und römischen Antike dar. Vor diesem Hintergrund verfolgen wir mit der Organisation der "Diskussionen zur Antiken Skulptur-DiAS" das Ziel, in regelmäßig abgehaltenen Veranstaltungen unterschiedliche Fragestellungen, Probleme, Kontexte und Aussagepotenziale der Skulpturenforschung zu erörtern. Auf diese Weise wollen wir ein Kommunikationsforum etablieren, in dessen Rahmen alle an diesem Forschungsbereich interessierten Personen über neue und alte Fragestellungen diskutieren können.

The Islamic era left a lasting legacy in the visual and material culture of the Iberian Peninsula. This phenomenon is particularly striking in a rare find of architectural fragments of an arcade with horseshoe-shaped arches in the Convent of Santa Fe in Toledo (Spain). Different coloured glass inlays (turquoise, purple, colourless) were embedded in the iconographic bas-relief made of plaster, an artistic technique that is unparalleled. This study explores the dynamics of glass supply and workshop practices in 11 th-century Spain through the chemical analysis of 46 specimens of these glass inlays. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed a compositional resemblance but no identity with Iberian sodarich plant ash glass, pointing to a regional or even local production. The glass assemblage as a whole proved very homogeneous and we were able to identify possible batches in which the individual pieces were probably cut from the same sheet of glass. Despite using the same base glass, the copper-turquoise coloured fragments showed different colouring techniques and combinations of colouring elements. Our findings shed light on the organisation of secondary glass working and material procurement for artistic purposes in Islamic Spain.

Compositional data of archaeological glasses offer an opportunity to trace the movement of materials in the ancient and medieval world. The lack of a comprehensive record of well-dated samples from Egypt, one of the major producers of glass throughout the first millennium CE, has limited the systematic application of a chronological and geographical model. Here, we report LA-ICP-MS results of Islamic glass weights and stamps from Egypt that provide a precise record of high temporal resolution of glass compositions from Abd al-Malik's monetary reform in 697 CE to the year 1020 CE. This period covers several radical changes in Islamic glassmaking. After a significant hiatus in the production of glass weights between the last quarter of the ninth and the middle of the tenth century we see the advent of novel glassmaking recipes based on the use of soda-rich plant ash. Our study establishes a temporal model that serves as a tool for dating archaeological glass assemblages, as well as a geographical model that allows for a clear classification of Levantine and Egyptian plant ash glasses.

22 The Visit of Mālik bin Muʿāwiyah, King of Kindah and Maḏḥiǧ to the Himyarite King Šammar Yuharʿiš in Maʾrib 449 Mohammed Maraqten 23 Der rituelle Umzug des Yadaʿʾil Ḏarīḥ nach Ṣirwāḥ 461 Norbert Nebes 24 Sedentism of Arabs in the 8th-4th Centuries bc 479 Israel Ephʿal 25 Reflections on Arab Leadership in Late Antiquity 489 Greg Fisher 26 A Paradise in the Desert: Iram at the Intersection of One Thousand and One Nights, Quranic Exegesis, and Arabian History 522 Orhan Elmaz 27 Mourning for the Dead and the Beginning of Idolatry in the Kitāb al-Aṣnām and the Spelunca Thesaurorum-an Unknown Parallel to Sūrat at-Takāṯur (q102)? 551

The authors dedicate this book to the ACOR Directors who served during the long period of the Humayma Excavation Project fieldwork. Their self-sacrificing devotion of time and energy to ACOR and the activities associated with it (and to all the other archaeological field projects at ACOR) were essential to the success of our work, and we remain deeply grateful for their guidance and important contributions.

Discover the extraordinary world of ancient glass through the lens of the J. Paul Getty Museum's unparalleled collection. Spanning over three millennia and encompassing 584 exquisite objects from regions including the Middle East, Mediterranean, and central Europe, this catalogue showcases the museum's renowned holdings. Richly illustrated with stunning new photography, each object—from delicate vessels to whimsically shaped artifacts—tells a unique story of craftsmanship and cultural exchange.

Written by acclaimed scholar Anastassios Antonaras, this publication features an engaging exploration of glassmaking history, blending technical insights with compelling narratives. Detailed entries provide deep insights into each artifact, complemented by vivid photography that brings their beauty to life. The catalogue also includes a comprehensive history of the collection, a glossary of glassmaking terms, technical studies, and an extensive bibliography.

Embracing the Getty's commitment to accessibility, the open-access online edition offers immersive 360-degree views and zoomable high-resolution images, enhancing the reader's exploration. Formats include free PDF and EPUB downloads, as well as JPG downloads of key catalogue images. For those seeking a tangible reference, a paperback edition is available for purchase.

Anastassios Antonaras, an archaeologist and curator at the Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki, brings his expertise to illuminate this comprehensive 520-page volume. With 627 color and 10 black-and-white illustrations, this catalogue sets a new standard in the study and appreciation of ancient glass.

ISBN: 978-1-60606-919-6
Publication Date: 2025
Publisher: Getty Publications, Imprint: J. Paul Getty Museum

De Twee Rozen glasshouse was one of the best-known glasshouses in seventeenthcentury Amsterdam and an important producer of glass in the Venetian style. It occupied two sites: initially at Keizersgracht, from 1621, it then moved in 1657 to Rozengracht, further from the center of the city. Production debris recovered from a deposit close to the Keizersgracht site were originally attributed to an earlier glasshouse, but a reinterpretation in light of more recent excavations firmly attributes these glasses to the first location of De Twee Rozen. We present 50 new SEM-EDS analyses of vessel glass, moils, trim-offs, unfinished objects, and production waste from the later site at Rozengracht and compare these with previously published analyses from both sites. Several changes in glass technology appear to have been introduced following the change of location. First, a cristallo-type technology, involving the purification of ashes to produce a glass with lower Fe 2 O 3 appears to have been used exclusively at Rozengracht. Thus, the introduction of glass production in the Venetian style was not accompanied by the signature Venetian glassmaking technology, which seems to have followed later. Second, the relatively new method of opacification using antimony was introduced, along with other changes, such as the introduction of lead into the cobalt-blue glass used in polychrome decorative canes. The origins of these new technologies are discussed in particular in view of the presence of the chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber at De Twee Rozen and its direction by a Venetian master, Nicalao Stua, from 1667. Venice was the leading glass producer of the European Renaissance. Its colorless cristallo was superior to other glass, and from the fifteenth century, its elegant and inventive vessels represented the height of fashion and were highly desired. Underpinned QUICK CITATION

The results of elemental analysis of 19 glass vessels dating to the early Islamic periods which are kept in the National Museum of Iran are presented in this paper. The samples were discovered during archeological excavations in several Islamic sites. Elemental analysis of these samples is performed by micro-PIXE technique and major and minor elements of these samples are measured. Glass type, raw material used in their production process and colorant of the glasses in diverse sites are investigated and determined based on our results. The results show that almost all glasses found in all sites are high soda-lime-silica glasses. Since the amounts of magnesium oxide and potassium oxide in all analyzed samples except one sample are more than 2.5%, it is clear that the ashes obtained from halophytic plants are considered as supplying source for sodium oxide. Also, our chemical composition results have been combined and compared with the reported results from Iraq, Syria and Egypt. This comparison shows that glass vessels of Iran tend to cluster together in a distinctive group, particularly with regard to their Al 2 O 3 and P 2 O 5 contents.

Typological and technological similarities between the various glass vessels from the Hwangnamdaechong tomb in Gyeongju are consistent with a common tradition of manufacture, but we now know that at least
three types of glass were used. The blue bowl 4 and the blue trailing on colourless ewer 1 are consistent with the type of glass found at such contemporaneous Sasanian sites as Veh Ardašīr. The colourless glass
from vessel 1 and the broken beaker 5 are distinct from the Veh Ardašīr glass but still bear some similarity to Sasanian samples. On the other hand, the glass used to make vessels 2, 6, and 7 is quite different and may represent the later expression of a Kushan/Bactrian glassmaking tradition. Based on their typological and technological similarity, we suspect that all or most of the Hwangnamdaechong vesels were made in similar workshops and possibly in the same one. If so, glassworkers there had access to a variety of types of raw glass, consistent with a multi-cultural trading and manufacturing centre. The lack of such vessels in Southeast Asia, along with possibly similar vessels in northeast China, reinforces our opinion that the Korean vessels came by land over the desert or steppe routes of the Silk Road.

At least twenty-five glass vessels have been recovered from a total of nine Korean burials, mostly in royal mounded tombs of the Silla kingdom, dating to the 5th or early-6th century, and located in the Silla capital at present-day Gyeongju. In addition, more than eleven unprovenanced vessels of similar form are in the collections of the National Museum of Korea, the Soongsil University Museum, Korea, and the National Museum, Tokyo. While many of these vessels bear a strong resemblance to contemporaneous Roman or Late Antique glass, and at least one of the Korean vessels, a small cup with ground facet decoration, is evidently Sasanian in origin, others from the Korean group are unlike Roman forms (noted by Barag, in Lee 2001, 332). In this, they are similar to some of the glass vessels found in dated northern Chinese tombs associated with the Murong and Tuoba Xianbei cultures of the Northern Yan (409-436 AD) and Northern Wei (386-535 AD) dynasties. While there is general agreement that the vessels found in Korea and northern China during this period were not produced locally, their actual origins have been in doubt. Suggested sources, based on stylistic similarities and an understanding that the forms were ‘Western’ rather than ‘Eastern’, have ranged from the Syro-Palestinian coast to the north shore of the Black Sea (Lee 2001, 330; An 2004, 59-60 and 157).

In the 5th and 6th centuries A.H., glassmaking in the Islamic era reached its peak of growth and prosperity in Islamic lands and was accompanied by innovations in the field of construction and decoration, which became the inspiration for glassmaking in the world after this period. This article aims to introduce and categorize innovations in the methods of producing and decorating glass products from the fifth and sixth centuries of Hijra. This research is descriptive-analytical with a library method. The results show in the 5th and 6th centuries of Hijri, Islamic glassmaking underwent significant transformation and innovation, evident in four key areas: color and raw materials, form and manufacturing methods, decorations, and applications. Islamic glassmaking in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt exhibited distinct technical features compared to the preceding era, which in Iran ceased with the Mongol invasion in the 7th century AH, subsequently shifting to the glassmaking centers of Iraq, Syria, and Egypt.

Öz Neolitik Dönem'den beri kullanılan süs eşyaları veya takılar arasında önemli bir yeri olan bilezikler, bulundukları coğrafyada toplumların sosyal, ekonomik, sanatsal ve kültürel bağları hakkında önemli bilgiler sunmaktadır. Anadolu coğrafyasında yapılan kazı çalışmalarında Roma, Bizans, Selçuklu ve Osmanlı Dönemleri'ne ait çok sayıda cam bileziğe rastlanmıştır. Özellikle Orta Çağ'a ait İslami Dönem'e ait veriler ise ancak son yıllarda paylaşılmaya başlanmıştır. Güneydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi'nde oldukça önemli bir yerleşim merkezi olan Harran'da devam eden kazılarda İslami Dönem'e ait zengin buluntular ele geçmiştir. Kentte yapılan kazılarda açığa çıkarılan mimari yapılar ve çok sayıda seramik eserin yanı sıra cam bilezikler de bulunmuştur. Harran'daki mimari eserler ve seramikler konusunda çalışmalar yapılmasına rağmen cam eserler ve cam bilezikler değerlendirilmemiştir. Bilim dünyasına ilk defa tanıtılacak olan ve Selçuklu-Eyyûbi Dönemi cam sanatı hakkındaki araştırmalara katkı sağlayacak bu eserler, üretim teknikleri, boyutları, renk özellikleri ve süsleme kompozisyonlarına göre irdelenmiştir. Ayrıca daha önce ortaya çıkarılan çağdaş ve benzer bileziklerle karşılaştırmalar yapılarak tarihlendirilmesi yapılmaya çalışılmıştır. Böylece Harran özelinde veya etkileşimde olduğu kültürleri anlamaya yardımcı olacak yeni bir çalışma ortaya çıkmıştır.

The paper studies fragments of gilded and enameled glass vessels of Middle Eastern origin from a building dated to the pre-Mongolian period, excavated in Yaroslavl in 2006 by researchers from the Institute of Archaeology, of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The fragments seem to be parts of three beakers. Two of them bear inscriptions in Naskh script and had a fragment showing a human face in three-quarter view. Parallels support the contextual dating. A fragment bearing the image of the lower part of a man standing on the bank of water probably belonged to the third beaker. Discrepancy between dating it to the third quarter of the 13th century based on parallels and archaeological context evidence enables dating the emergence of vessels of this kind to the first half of the 13th century instead of the mid-13th century.

molten treasures stephen markel Mughal glass: a history of glassMaking in india by tara DesjarDins. roli Books, 272 pp., ₹2,995, new delhi, May 2024, hardback, illustrated. 9789392130632. Desjardins is a welcome addition to the small corpus of scholarly research works devoted to Indian glassmaking.

During the excavations of 1966-1973 vast quantities of glass were found at Siraf in Iran on the Persian Gulf, primarily dating to the 9th-11th centuries. Some of this glass assemblage held in the Corning Museum of Glass was analysed using LA-ICP-MS, including nine glass bangle fragments dating to ca. 14th century. One was found to be of a high alumina plant ash (v-Na-Al) composition, as was a 14th-15th century glass kohl stick fragment. Further analysis of the 14th-century Siraf glass bangle collection held at the British Museum has now been analysed using LA-ICP-MS, identifying several more v-Na-Al glass bangles. Recent studies have concluded that plant ash soda glasses of Central Asian origin can most notably be characterised by elevated levels of alumina (>4.5 wt%). This article reviews their glass characteristics in the context of a recently improved understanding of glass dating between the 9th-14th centuries from the historic Greater Khurasan region and particularly the v-Na-Al glass collections of Central Asia. This investigation proposes there were at least three main Central Asian glass production groups (CA1, CA2 and CA3) in circulation during this period. These differ primarily on their alumina, titanium and zirconium concentrations. Additional comparison with other relevant glass bangle collections, and v-Na-Al glass recently reviewed from south and east Africa, reveals that multiple chronologically definable subtypes of these groups may have been in circulation. Further to this, while the CA3 category remained relatively local, the CA2 type appears to have enjoyed the widest circulation along caravan routes, yet the CA1 type the widest via maritime routes. These insights offer additional information on the major characteristics of this elusive category of glass, its periods of production and an improved understanding of distribution patterns. ☆ This article is part of a special issue entitled: 'ICAS-EMME 3 Proceedings' published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

We examine here the glass finds from the Vetricella site. This site, investigated during the ERC-Avanced nEU-Med project (www.neu-med.unisi.it ) is interpreted as the centre of the royal curtis of Valli attested in documentary sources from 937. During the excavation, a large number of glass objects dated from the 4th to the 12th centuries were unearthed. The compositions of the early mediaeval Vetricella glass vessels (beakers, goblets, bottles, amploules/vials), are studied and compared with those of similar finds from various other European sites. With the exception of one glass bottle, made with Levantine plant ash soda glass, all the other studied glasses belong to Antique or Late-Antique natron glass groups (Mn- and Sb-decolorized, Foy 2 and HIMT). All these objects illustrate the recycling practices of Antique and Late Antique glass in Europe as they are described by Theophilus for the 11th and 12th centuries.

The excavations at ‛Amqa yielded about fifty identifiable fragments of glass vessels from the Late Roman–early Byzantine, the late Byzantine–Early Islamic and the medieval periods. The finds also included remains of glass production debris, such as raw glass chunks and a fragment from a furnace floor with raw glass adhering to it. The assemblage from ‛Amqa contributes to our knowledge of the vessel repertoire used in a rural settlement in the western part of Upper Galilee, mainly during the late Byzantine–Early Islamic periods. These vessels were likely produced in a local workshop in ‛Amqa or one of the nearby settlements.

Forty-one samples, primarily glass bracelets, from the 11th-12th century Byzantine towns of Morava and Braničevo in Serbia were analyzed using simultaneous PIXE/PIGE. The analysis identified three types of flux: natron, plant ash, and evaporitic mineral soda. The natron glass exhibited Levantine characteristics, but extensive recycling obscured its specific group classification. Plant ash glass displayed typical compositional traits of Levantine plant ash glasses, with most samples showing evidence of recycling with natron glass. Evaporitic mineral soda glasses were traced to two distinct sources, differentiated by their boron and strontium concentrations, likely Anatolian. The evaporitic mineral soda turquoise bracelets from Braničevo resemble bracelets from Ḥiṣn al-Tīnāt in eastern Anatolia, which were produced using alkali flux derived from thermal spring evaporites. Black natron bracelets were colored with high iron concentrations. Black glasses produced from plant ash, mixed plant ash, and evaporitic mineral soda were coloured with lower iron levels in a reduced furnace atmosphere. Cobaltblue bracelets were colored with a CoCu-type cobalt colorant, appearing in two variants: one with high zinc content, similar to the cobalt-zinc colorant found in contemporary Islamic plant ash glasses, and another with low zinc content, derived from a different cobalt ore. The diversity of raw materials sources highlights the complexity and vibrancy of Byzantine glass trade networks during the 11th-12th centuries.

We investigate the glass produced at the late 19th century CE glass factory of Mizgaga near Haifa, modern-day Israel with two main questions in mind: firstly, to understand the raw materials used, and secondly to test for any technological relationship to contemporary glassmaking in Europe. We show that the silica source is similar to the sand exploited more than a millennium earlier for Roman and Byzantine glass making in the same region, but with a different lime source, while a modern, likely industrially-produced soda was used as flux, despite the proximity to the large mineral natron deposits in northern Egypt. The soda-lime-silica recipe has close similarities to contemporary European glass production, but differs in its soda content, resulting in a softer and overall easier to work glass, more suitable for the inexperienced labour force available at the time.

Bu çalışmada, Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi'nde Ordu'nun Bayadı Köyü sınırları içinde bulunan Kurul Kalesi kazılarında 2010-2022 yılları arasında tespit edilen camlar tipolojik özellikleri ve ele geçtikleri arkeolojik kontekstler bağlamında irdelenmektedir. Daha erken dönemlere tarihlenen (MÖ 4. yüzyıl) az sayıda küçük buluntu ele geçmiş olsa da, yaklaşık MÖ 65-63 yıllarındaki Roma yenilgisiyle terkedilmiş olan kalenin en güçlü yerleşim evresi VI. Mithradates Eupator dönemine (MÖ 120-63) tarihlenmektedir. Yerleşim, askeri fonksiyonunun yanı sıra kült alanlarına da sahip olması nedeniyle cam buluntuları da içeren zengin bir küçük buluntu koleksiyonu ortaya koymaktadır. Kalede tespit edilen cam buluntuların içinde iç kalıp tekniğinde üretilmiş şişe parçaları, renksiz döküm cam tabak/kase?, opak mavi cam kase parçaları, reticella ve mozaik kaseler gibi lüks mamüller öne çıkmaktadır. Ancak, Geç Hellenistik Dönem'de çok geniş bir coğrafyaya dağılım gösteren oluklu kaseler de dönemin tipik formları olarak buluntular arasında yerini almaktadır. Kalede tespit edilen ve çoğunluğunu dönemin lüks camlarının oluşturduğu buluntuların benzer örnekler doğrultusunda Doğu Akdeniz ve Ege Adaları ile ilişkili üretimler oldukları saptanabilmektedir. Cam buluntuların açığa çıkarıldığı alanlar İç Kale, Kuzey Teras, Depo odaları, oturan Kybele heykelinin bir niş içerisinde bulunduğu alan ve çevresi, Dionysos Kült Alanı, Taş Yığma ve İdari Yapı olarak adlandırılan mekanlar olarak sıralanabilir. Bu cam vazolarla birlikte takıları oluşturan çok sayıda cam boncuk tanesi de buluntular arasında yerini almaktadır. Cam vazoların bir kısmının ve boncukların ise büyük çoğunluğunun Kybele ve özellikle Dionysos'a bırakılmış farklı materyallerden üretilmiş çok çeşitli nesnelerle birlikte adak eşyaları arasında yerini aldıkları söylenmelidir. Bu durum Kurul Kale-

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In recent decades, increased research on post-Roman Sicily has made it possible to better understand the crucial role that the island played within the Mediterranean area both in the late Roman and medieval periods. The study of ceramics has revealed important manufacturing and commercial aspects that affected Sicily during this time. This research used glass as another indicator to investigate questions of production and circulation of commodities between the 5th and 11th centuries CE. In the context of two European Research Council research programmes (‘Sicily in Transition’ and ‘GlassRoutes’), the first systematic study of Sicilian glass assemblages was conducted to explore their chrono-typological and compositional characteristics. The chronological arc includes the fundamental transformations of the ancient glass industry and the establishment of new glassmaking technologies in the Western Mediterranean and Europe. Combining the archaeological and analytical data, the temporal and geographical evolution of glass consumption and supply within the island was defined, revealing how regime changes affected the availability of vitreous materials. More specifically, in order to highlight differences and similarities between different parts of the island through time, the results of the central-eastern rural site of Villa del Casale (Piazza Armerina – Enna Province) and the western city of Mazara del Vallo (Trapani Province) are compared. The analytical data from Mazara del Vallo illustrate a continuity in glass supply from the Levantine coast at least until the 7th century. Moreover, the typologies are consistent with those already published for the Western Mediterranean area. The Islamic conquest introduced new glassmaking techniques with possible local production of soda plant ash glass as early as the 9th/10th century. Furthermore, the typologies and analytical results point to the integration of Sicily into the wider Fatimid markets.

Archaeological excavations of an Islamic industrial complex in northern Syria at al-Raqqa have revealed comprehensive evidence for Abbasid high temperature industries. Amongst the evidence is some for glass production. The evidence included a glass workshop consisting of the remains of three-chambered 'bee-hive' furnaces and a centralised flue system, the debris of casting glass into blocks of three different sizes, glass moils of two diameters (the knock-offs from blowing irons) and discarded lumps of frit, a material produced by the initial stage in glass production. In addition, fragments of a second kind of glass furnace, a tank furnace, were found. Scientific analysis of the products and by-products of this glass industry using electron probe microanalysis has produced an unexpectedly wide range of glass chemical compositions. In some instances discrete compositions are correlated to the function of the glass such as its use to make cast blocks and window panes. In others instances, such as when it is used to make glass vessels, the same apparent degree of specialisation in the deliberate selection of particular glass raw materials is not evident. Scientific analysis of frit has shown that the glass used to make the windows for glazing the al-Raqqa palace complexes was made in al-Raqqa.

This paper sheds light on curious vessels unearthed in well-dated
Early Islamic contexts in the regions of Jund Filastin and Jund alUrdunn. These special vessels include alembics, a miniature spouted
vessel, kuttrolf (vessels with multiple tubes), tube-shaped vessels with
various shapes and decorations, zoomorphic vessels, vessels with basket
handles or additional feet, and vessels with cage-like zigzag trail decoration.
Additionally, there were special objects discovered such as stirring rods and
horseshoe-shaped objects2
.
Until recently, most of these objects had only been identified through
collections. However, in the past thirty years, examples found in documented
excavations in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in Israel, have been
recorded. As a result, gathering information from well-provenanced sites
can provide details about the geographic distribution of these vessels and
suggest the existence of production centers.

Sirvan historical site is located in Sarāb Kalān village in the northern area of Ilam province and according to experts and remains, belongs to Sasanian and Early-Islamic periods. The purpose of this research was to investigate the chemical compound of 10 glass fragments (mainly including parts of the body of the vessel) obtained from archaeological studies done for determining the domain and realm of this area, using XRF analytical method. Analysis and review of the results show that these samples have been classified in the group of alkaline glass (silica-soda-lime) and according to the ratio of their alkaline elements, plant ash has been used in the composition of raw materials to produce these glasses. The average weight percentage of silicon oxide is 60.97% and due to the amounts of aluminum and iron oxides, different sources of silica with low purity have been used in the production of these glasses. Observing variation in amounts of elements in glass lattice and lack of correlation between elements in general, strengthens the hypothesis of diversity and alteration in primary sources, time and/or the place of production. Also, a comparative study between these samples with the analytical results of glass artifacts belonging to the closest historical sites to Sirvan (Gouryeh and Jahangir Dome), indicates differences in the amount of their constituent elements, which may be due to differences in row materials, techniques or manufacturing time.

Roman wall mosaics are encountered from the end of the second century bc. These decorations were dominated by the taste for mixing different materials, including fragments of glass vessels. This technical solution was common until the beginning of the first century ad, but the economic and symbolic reasons behind this practice have never been investigated in detail. This article explores the economic and symbolic dimension of glass fragments in wall mosaics. From this perspective, wall mosaics contribute to reconstructing the dynamics of collecting broken glass for reuse and recycling. The presence of shattered vessels in wall mosaics surely stimulated the imagination of the cultivated viewers, who were undoubtedly familiar with the act of breaking vessels in rituals and with the Latin texts quoting the fragility of glass.

In Limoges (Haute-Vienne, France), the content of a pit, dated from
the 11th – 12th centuries, include a little thick green glass bottle. If the
quality is not outstanding, the shape is completely original in France
at that time. The context and the typology, with archaeometric analysis, to
try to understand the origin and the use of this artifact in a suburban area.

In order to improve the understanding of glass production and provenance, we present trace element and Sr, Nd and B isotope ratio data for 15 samples of raw natron glass from a single tank furnace in Apollonia (6 th-7 th century C.E.) and eight glass samples from two tank furnaces in Bet Eli'ezer (8 th century C.E.) in Israel. This data provides information about the geochemical homogeneity within a single batch of raw glass and about the differences and/or similarities between different tank furnaces on a single site. Four glasses from a secondary workshop at Tell el-Ashmunein, Egypt (8 th-9 th century C.E.) are analysed for comparative purposes. All raw glass samples have uniform trace element patterns and ratios. Because of poor mixing of the glass batch before and during firing, absolute concentrations however can vary significantly within a single tank furnace. The concentrations of trace elements commonly associated with (de)colouring are very low and can be attributed to background concentrations in the sand raw materials. This indicates that there was no obvious recycling of glass cullet at this stage of the production process and that the tank furnace glass is primary glass in the true sense of the word. The isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd and B in the tank furnace glasses are relatively homogeneous. This confirms their potential as provenance indicators. The isotopic composition of Sr in tank furnace glass from Apollonia and Bet Eli'ezer indicates that the lime was derived from seashell, suggesting the glass was produced from beach sand. Glass from Tell el-Ashmunein contains Sr with lower 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, pointing to the use of limestone as the source of lime. All primary glasses from Israel analysed have Nd isotopic compositions typical for an Eastern Mediterranean origin. δ 11 B indicates that natron used in the tank furnaces in Apollonia and Bet Eli'ezer was most likely imported from Egypt. HIGHLIGHTS  Trace element and Sr, Nd and B isotopic characterisation of primary tank furnace glass  Provenancing raw materials used in the production of primary glass  Geochemical homogeneity within a single batch of raw glass  Differences and similarities between tank furnace glass on a single site

Palestine and Egypt supplied the Mediterranean and Europe with virtually all of its glass for most of the first millennium CE. While the Muslim conquest in the 7th century saw major political and economic adjustment, immediate changes to material culture appear to have been minimal. This paper examines the impact of the Byzantine-Islamic transition on the natron glass industry of Palestine from the 7th to 12th century. A series of 133 well-contextualised glass vessels from selected excavations in modern day Israel have been analysed for major, minor and trace elements using LA-ICP-MS. These glasses are assigned to previously established primary production groups, allowing the elucidation of the chronology of key changes in glass production in the region. Results indicate a relatively abrupt compositional change in the late 7th-early 8th centuries, covering the reforming reigns of al-Malik and al-Walid, which marks the end of "Byzantine" glass production and the establishment of the furnaces at Bet Eli'ezer. At about this time there was an influx of glass of an Egyptian composition. Production of Bet Eli'ezer type glass appears to have been limited to a short time span, less than 50 years, after which natron glass production in Palestine ceased. Plant ash glass is first encountered in the late 8th-early 9th century, probably as a result of reduced local natron glass production creating the conditions in which plant ash glass technology was adopted. Egypt continued to produce natron glass for up to a century after its demise in Palestine. It is reasoned that the change and then collapse in natron glass production in Palestine may well have been as a consequence of a reduction in the quantities of available natron. This affected Palestine first, and Egypt up to 100 years later, which suggests that the factors causing the reduction in natron supply originated at the source and were long term and gradual, not short term events.

Several excavation campaigns between 2004 and 2015 in the southwest area of the Villa del Casale in Sicily (known as Piazza Armerina, Enna Province) revealed a bath complex intermittently occupied from the beginning of the 4th century to the 12th century. A large amount of glass was recovered, especially from the 5th-century layers. A chrono-typological and analytical study of these materials was developed in collaboration with the ERC’s ‘Sicily in Transition’ and ‘GlassRoutes’ projects. Among the finds, a rather uncommon type characterised by a pinched rim was found in layers dating from the mid-4th to the mid-5th century. Only a few other examples exist from other 4th- to 5th-century Mediterranean contexts (e.g. Rome, Ostia, Karanis, Marseille and Carthage) where this decoration is typically associated with dishes or bowls. The verticality of the preserved side and the diameter suggest the Villa’s fragment belonged to a bowl. Moreover, the archaeometric analyses identified an Egyptian base glass (HIMT). The aim of this paper is to illustrate the distribution patterns of this typology across the Mediterranean in order to address questions about their production (primary and secondary) and circulation. In particular, the focus is on whether the Sicilian example may represent a local or an imported product and to what extent there is a possible connection with the consumption of luxury or common goods. Furthermore, the recovery of this type of bowl in the main Mediterranean trading centres of the 4th–5th century could reflect the involvement of the Villa del Casale in this network

Between the 4th and 11th centuries, the end of the late Roman latifundia system and the settling of an Islamic community on the Villa entailed significant structural transformations. In this context, the aim of this contribution is to outline changes in the use and consumption of glassware at the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Hence, a set of 1016 fragments recovered at the so-called Terme Meridionali and in two wells, located in the frigidarium of the main baths, was subjected to quantitative and typological analysis.
Results indicate a typological uniformity with Italian and Mediterranean glass productions in the mid-4th - 6th century, whereas a correlation with Islamic glassware occurred in the mid-10th - mid-11th century.