The History of Glass! From 3,500 BC to Today!

Bell Mirror & Glass, Inc.

1702 S. Seneca Street, Wichita, KS 67213

316-262-8642

www.bellmirrorandglass.com

Glass is something that is so common today it is easy to forget that it took thousands of years to perfect the art of making and cutting glass. 


Most people are not familiar with the origin of making glass, which according to archaeological evidence is believed to be in eastern Mesopotamia and Egypt around 3500 BC.  The first glass vessels were not made for another 2000 years.  Although humans have been using naturally occurring glass since the earliest humans.  Obsidian was typically used for the production of knives, arrowheads, jewelry and money.  After the creation of vessels, around 1500 BC, production in the glass industry grew rapidly then suddenly declined.  It was revived again around 700 BC in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria and other countries along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  At first the production of glass was a very difficult and lengthy project, utilizing very small furnaces that produced barely enough heat to melt the glass.  But in the 1^st Century BC, Syrian craftsmen developed the blowpipe.  This advancement in technology made glass making cheaper, faster and easier.  In 1000 AD the Egyptian city of Alexandria became the center of glass manufacturing.  Production of glass became very popular in the vast Roman Empire and spread to all of the countries under its rule.  The timeless art of creating stained glass on churches and cathedrals became extremely popular across Europe.  The development and perfection of making glass has come a long way since the beginning.

The art of making glass has been derived from the techniques of many different countries and regions.  Making and cutting glass is now so common that some forget how long it took for us to perfect it and use it in everyday life.

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