The use of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the investigation of 8th–14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East

Abstract

The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. AbstractThis is the first broad survey using major, minor and trace element analysis of 8th-15th AD plant ash glass from the Middle East across a 2000 mile area stretching from Egypt to northern Iran. This was part of the ancient Silk Road that extended from the Middle East, through central Asia to China. Up to now, some compositional distinctions have been identified for such glasses mainly using major and minor element oxides and radiogenic isotopes. Our new trace element characterisation is for glass found in selected cosmopolitan hubs, including one where there is archaeological evidence for primary glass making. It provides not only far clearer provenance definitions for regional centres of production, in the Levant, northern Syria and in Iraq and Iran, but also for sub-regional zones of production. This fingerprinting is provided by trace elements associated with the primary glass making raw materials used: ashed halophytic plants and sands. Even more surprising is a correlation between some of the sub-regional production hubs and the types of glass vessels with diagnostic decoration apparently manufactured in or near the cosmopolitan hubs where the glass was found such as colourless cut and engraved vessels (in Iraq and Iran) and trail-decorated vessels (in the Levant). This therefore provides evidence for centres of specialisation. Our trace element characterisation provides a new way of defining the Silk Road by characterising the glass that was traded or exchanged along it. Taken together this data provides a new decentralised model for ancient glass production.

High‐boron and High‐alumina Middle Byzantine (10th–12th Century ce) Glass Bracelets: A Western Anatolian Glass Industry

“…Almost half of the bracelet samples (samples HT_001 to HT_019) have a typical plant ash glass composition, averaging 2.4 wt% K 2 O, 2.5 wt% MgO and 0.41 wt% P 2 O 5 . Their boron and lithium concentrations are around 60–100 ppm and 5–10 ppm, respectively (Table ), in line with plant ash glasses from the Islamic period (Henderson et al ). Group 1 includes all of the bracelets made from purple and colourless glass and five bracelets described as naturally aqua or light green.…”

Glass import and production in Hispania during the early medieval period: The glass from Ciudad de Vascos (Toledo)

“…By far the largest group (93) consists of soda-rich plant ash glasses, typical of Islamic glass from the eighth/ninth century onwards [18–20]. This type of glass seems to be present on the Iberian Peninsula since at least the ninth century [7, 21].…”

The Archaeometry and Archaeology of Ancient Chinese Glass: a Review

“…Abdurazskov () and Brill (, , ) noted that many Central Asian glasses from the Uzbek sites of Bukhara, Tashkent, Samarkand and Fergana contained a minimum of 4% K 2 O: western Asian glasses invariably contain less than 4% K 2 O (Henderson et al . , app. B).…”