DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Kucharczyk, Renata: Marea 2001: windowpanes and other glass finds
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41369#0072
MAREA
EGYPT
Crown glass, according to Harden, was
invented in the Near East sometime in the
4th century. From there it spread
throughout Italy and to the West.121
Round window panes in Late Roman-Early
Islamic contexts were found on many sites
in the Levant,131 while in the West they
have been recorded in Italy14) and even as
far away as Britain.151
The four fragments of windowpanes,
one still embedded in plaster, from the
bath in Marea, recognized as being
manufactured in the “muff’ or cylinder-
blown technique, can be identified as such,
even though the glass has turned black and
the character of the surface is not quite
clear. Two fragments (presumably from the
same sheet) preserve the original edges
where the cylinder was cut in two. The
margin is slightly curved (Fig. 2:6-7). On
one piece, however, on the underside, lines
may be observed, running all along the
piece of glass. These lines can be
interpreted as a reflection of the surface of
the mould, in which the glass paste had
been rolled and stretched until it reached
the edges of the mould.161 Distinguishing
between roller-molded and “muff’ glass is
Fig. 4■ Wall fragment with window openings. Scale 1:10
(Drawing G. Majcherek)
12) D.B. Harden, “Ancient Glass III: Post Roman”, AJA 128 (1972), 83-
13) C. Meyer, Jerash, op. cit., 207-211, fig. 10:O-U; Crowfoot, Samaria, op. cit., 420-421; Saldern, Sardis, op. cit., 91-92;
Broise, Vitrages, op. cit., 74-75, fig. 32; C.J. Lamm, Das Glas von Samarra, vol. 4 (Berlin 1928), 127-128. Cf. similar finds
from Sudan: D.B. Harden, “The Glass found at Soba”, in: P.L. Shinnie, Excavations at Soba (Khartum 1955), 60, 64, 67,
fig. 37; 34-36, fig. 47.
14) F. dell'Acqua, “Ninth-Century Window Glass from the Monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno”,_/G.S' 39 (1997), 36-
37, 39, fig. 4; G. Bovini, “Gli antichi vetri da finestra della Chiesa di S.Vitale”, Felix Ravenna, ser. 3, 91 (1965), 98-108.
15) D. Charlesworth, “Roman Window Glass from Chichester, Sussex”, JGS 19 (1977), 82.
16) On different kinds of moulds (ceramic, wooden), cf. G.C. Boon, “Roman Window Glass from Wales”, JGS 8 (1966), 44-45.
70
EGYPT
Crown glass, according to Harden, was
invented in the Near East sometime in the
4th century. From there it spread
throughout Italy and to the West.121
Round window panes in Late Roman-Early
Islamic contexts were found on many sites
in the Levant,131 while in the West they
have been recorded in Italy14) and even as
far away as Britain.151
The four fragments of windowpanes,
one still embedded in plaster, from the
bath in Marea, recognized as being
manufactured in the “muff’ or cylinder-
blown technique, can be identified as such,
even though the glass has turned black and
the character of the surface is not quite
clear. Two fragments (presumably from the
same sheet) preserve the original edges
where the cylinder was cut in two. The
margin is slightly curved (Fig. 2:6-7). On
one piece, however, on the underside, lines
may be observed, running all along the
piece of glass. These lines can be
interpreted as a reflection of the surface of
the mould, in which the glass paste had
been rolled and stretched until it reached
the edges of the mould.161 Distinguishing
between roller-molded and “muff’ glass is
Fig. 4■ Wall fragment with window openings. Scale 1:10
(Drawing G. Majcherek)
12) D.B. Harden, “Ancient Glass III: Post Roman”, AJA 128 (1972), 83-
13) C. Meyer, Jerash, op. cit., 207-211, fig. 10:O-U; Crowfoot, Samaria, op. cit., 420-421; Saldern, Sardis, op. cit., 91-92;
Broise, Vitrages, op. cit., 74-75, fig. 32; C.J. Lamm, Das Glas von Samarra, vol. 4 (Berlin 1928), 127-128. Cf. similar finds
from Sudan: D.B. Harden, “The Glass found at Soba”, in: P.L. Shinnie, Excavations at Soba (Khartum 1955), 60, 64, 67,
fig. 37; 34-36, fig. 47.
14) F. dell'Acqua, “Ninth-Century Window Glass from the Monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno”,_/G.S' 39 (1997), 36-
37, 39, fig. 4; G. Bovini, “Gli antichi vetri da finestra della Chiesa di S.Vitale”, Felix Ravenna, ser. 3, 91 (1965), 98-108.
15) D. Charlesworth, “Roman Window Glass from Chichester, Sussex”, JGS 19 (1977), 82.
16) On different kinds of moulds (ceramic, wooden), cf. G.C. Boon, “Roman Window Glass from Wales”, JGS 8 (1966), 44-45.
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