Islamic Glass in the Making: Chronological and Geographical Dimensions

The use of plant ash as the main fluxing agent changed the ancient glassmaking tradition. Islamic Glass in the Making advocates a large-scale archaeometric approach to trace the developments in the production, trade, and consumption of vitreous materials between the eighth and twelfth centuries. It proposes compositional discriminants to distinguish regional production groups and provides insights into the organization of the glass industry and commerce during the early Islamic period.

Format: Hardback
Length: 270 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2022
Publisher: Leuven University Press

The ancient glass industry underwent a significant transformation towards the end of the first millennium. The Roman tradition of mineral soda glass, which had been dominant for centuries, began to be replaced by the use of plant ash as the primary fluxing agent around the turn of the ninth century CE. This shift marked a crucial moment in the history of glassmaking, as it introduced new materials and techniques to the craft. However, defining primary production groups of plant ash glass presented a challenge due to the high variability of raw materials and the smaller scale of production.

Islamic Glass in the Making: A Large-Scale Archaeometric Approach to the History of Islamic Glassmaking aims to address this challenge by adopting a comprehensive archaeometric approach to the study of Islamic glassmaking. The book seeks to trace the developments in the production, trade, and consumption of vitreous materials between the eighth and twelfth centuries and to distinguish between the norm and the exception. It proposes compositional discriminants to identify regional production groups and provides insights into the organization of the glass industry and commerce during the early Islamic period.

The interdisciplinary approach adopted by the book leads to a holistic understanding of the development of Islamic glass. Assemblages from various regions, including Mesopotamia, Central Asia, Egypt, Greater Syria, and Iberia, are evaluated and placed within the larger geopolitical context. By doing so, the book fills a gap in the present literature and advocates for a large-scale approach to the history of Islamic glass.

The book is available in Open Access format, making it accessible to a wide audience. Additionally, it has been labeled as GPRC (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content), ensuring the quality and reliability of the research presented. This publication is a valuable contribution to the field of Islamic art and archaeology and will interest scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 565g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789462703193