Roman Glass

Roman glass objects have been recovered across the Roman Empire in domestic, industrial and funerary contexts. Glass was used primarily for the production of vessels, although mosaic tiles and window glass were also produced.

Roman glass production developed from Hellenistic technical traditions, initially concentrating on the production of intensely coloured cast glass vessels. However, during the first century AD the industry underwent rapid technical growth that saw the introduction of glass blowing and the dominance of colourless or ‘aqua’ glasses.

Production of raw glass was undertaken in geographically separate locations to the working of glass into finished vessels, and by the end of the first century AD large scale manufacturing resulted in the establishment of glass as a commonly available material in the Roman world.