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18 - Glass

from Part II - Artefacts and Evidence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2025

Leonard V. Rutgers
Affiliation:
Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Neil Christie
Affiliation:
University of Leicester
Robin M. Jensen
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Jodi Magness
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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Summary

This chapter examines glass production in Late Antiquity, with a particular focus on technological advancements, economic significance and regional variations. Drawing on archaeological evidence, chemical analyses, typological studies and historical texts, it traces the evolution of glass manufacturing and distribution across the Roman and Byzantine worlds. The authors argue that glass production in Late Antiquity was highly adaptable, responding to shifts in economic structures, raw material availability and technological innovations. A key factor in this development was the dominance of large-scale glass furnaces in Egypt and the Levant, which supplied raw glass to secondary workshops throughout the empire. The chapter also explores how glassmakers refined shaping and decorating techniques, incorporating blown glass, engraved patterns, gold-leaf applications and coloured blobs. In terms of function, it demonstrates that glass was used across a wide range of contexts, from everyday tableware to luxury drinking vessels, lamps and even windowpanes. Regional differences are evident, with eastern Mediterranean workshops favoring elaborate embellishments, while western traditions drew inspiration from ceramic and metal vessels. A key conclusion is that glass was not only a practical commodity but also a marker of status and innovation.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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  • Glass
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.019
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  • Glass
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.019
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Glass
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.019
Available formats
×