Glass production in the Middle Ages from Italy to Central Europe: the contribution of archaeometry to the history of technology
Authors/Creators
- 1. Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- 2. Department of History and Cultures, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- 3. Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia
Description
The present paper reports and discusses data obtained by a combined archaeological and archaeometric study carried out on
an assemblage of selected Medieval glass finds from the Monastery of St. Severus in Classe (Ravenna, Italy) and ascribable
to the 13–16th CE. Glassware belonging to three main typological groups was selected for this study: ampoules, nuppenbecher
and kropfflasche. Such a choice mainly stems from the intent to evaluate typological and compositional affinities of
these peculiar vessel typologies with the same forms unearthed in different regions of Central Europe, as a starting point for
a possible reconstruction of trade contacts between Italy and Central Europe. Archaeological contextualisation of the site
and chrono-typological study of glass vessels were associated to ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry)
and ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) analyses, performed to characterise the composition
of the glassy matrix (major and minor components as well as trace elements). The results, elaborated according to the
archaeometric glass classification and provenancing of raw materials, shed new light on glass production in late Medieval
times and can be broaden framed as a starting point for interpreting relations and exchanges between geographical areas
and related cultures.
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Funding
References
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