ROMAN GLASS - THE AMAZING HISTORY

Roman glass blowing techniques were adapted from conquered civizilations and were further developed and claimed as their own. With the invention of the blowing pipe technique, glass making was completely modernized and glass could be freely shaped by hand. Under the reign of the first Emperor Augustus (1st century BC) glass-making became an important industry in the Roman Empire. Glass bottles were popular and affordable, consequently used for oil, perfume, kohl and a whole range of other cosmetics, medicines and ointments. This beautiful glass was made by using sand, alkali, sodium carbonate, colouring agents (metals) and formed with burning seaweed and lime and was produced in a large range of colours, patterns and frequently complex techniques. It was an art, now lost, created by skilled craftsmen. It is believed, but not confirmed, that metals were used to affect the colour of the glass - copper to make turquoise to light blue, green, red or opaque red coloured glass. cobalt made the glass dark blue. Yellowish and purple glass was created by the use of manganese and antimony to make the glass opaque yellow or opaque white. Also iron was used to make a light blue, green, brown and black shades.  

               

NATURE THE ARTIST

What is so exciting about Roman glass is the transformation that happened to it while buried in the soil of Israel. Earthquakes happened often in this area , some of them very strong. Either used and broken by people or by forces of nature, shards of Roman glassware became buried and long forgotten. During this time,forces of nature went on working with great patience , slowly and gradually bringing a completely new look to the glass . Hot days and cold nights , moist winters and extremely dry summers cooked and fused some elements of Israeli soil into the body of the glass The Artist – Nature - never rested . It created a unique wrapping of many thin, iridescent layers of silica, called "patina". Each fragment of glass went through its own individual changes in color and shape. Those who unearthed the Roman glass shards in the 1970s in Israel were amazed how beautiful it looked It was about this time when few creative designers in the Old Jaffa understood that a unique jewellery could be done using Roman glass pieces, with the glass as a centrepiece indeed ..

  

IMPORTANT - TREATMENT AND CARE

Roman glass is a very fragile and delicate material, so  IT IS IMPORTANT not to expose Roman glass jewellery to moisture and cleaning liquids . Roman glass may change in tones or lose some of its’ iridescent appearance . The only part of the Roman glass jewellery that may be cleaned is the Sterling Silver using a blue cleaning cloth.   Please remember that it took a thousands of years for the Nature to transform the Roman glass into the beautiful material you see now . We would highly recommend treating and preserving our jewelry as the unique and valuable item it truly is .