Roman Glassblowing
New ancient Roman glass jewelry has arrived. These glass fragments are found in Israel, the largest glass production area during the Roman empire. Blown glass was developed during the first century BC. The earliest workshops were located in Jerusalem and in the region of Galilee. This technique of using a blowpipe to create glass enabled glassmakers to produce large quantities of glass vessels quickly. Production of glass relied on fusing two primary ingredients of silica and soda. The region provided sand, or quartz, for the silica and for the soda they used salt that naturally was found in dry lake beds.
It is hard to believe that these glass fragments date back to the first century AD and onward. We are always asked how can there be so many pieces of ancient glass that these artists are able to use it in jewelry. But the Roman empire during that time created tons of glass and by boat traded it throughout the Roman empire that encircled the Mediterranean Sea and beyond through the Silk Road trading routes. Glass items where a part of the Roman's daily life from tableware, cosmetic vessels and lamp vessels. The main production of glass for the Roman empire was in Israel. Factories were producing raw glass to supply the Roman Empire's population that has been estimated at between 59 and 76 million in the 1st and 2nd centuries. Glass recycling was very important in Roman times.
Our jewelry designs feature aqua color glass that was produced the most during end of the first century BC and the first century AD and have a rainbow patina or mineral build up that has developed through the centuries on. This patina has been restored on our jewelry designs since most fragments do not have a natural consistent color. We also feature jewelry designs were the patina is washed away revealing the true aqua color of the glass.