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THE RAW MATERIALS OF EARLY GLASS PRODUCTION
Author(s) -
HENDERSON JULIAN
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0092.1985.tb00248.x
Subject(s) - prehistory , glass industry , glass production , archaeology , raw material , geography , materials science , engineering , metallurgy , chemistry , waste management , organic chemistry
Summary This paper discusses raw materials used in ancient glasses. Following a consideration of some archaeological reasons for studying glass, the discussion concentrates on the evidence provided by chemical analysis of the glass, and focuses on glass from later prehistoric Western Europe. Consideration of the major, minor and trace components of the glass leads to a conclusion that prehistoric glass artisans were able closely to control the addition of small quantities of colorants, opacifiers and clarifiers to the glass melt. Some possible ways of introducing such small quantities of these substances are suggested. A related implication is that glass production in prehistoric Europe was a mainly specialist industry, being part of a ‘high‐status’socio‐economic sphere. When interpreting technical analyses a full consideration of the socio‐economic niche occupied by the glass industry is urged.