STUDY OF GLASS AND GLASS-MAKING PROCESSES AT WADI EL-NATRUN, EGYPT IN THE ROMAN PERIOD 30 B.C. TO 359 A.D.

Abstract

AbstractIn the Roman period, from about 30 B.C. to about A.D. 359, Wadi el-Natrun was probably one of the main centres of the glass industry in Egypt. In this district, the essential materials for glass-making processes, mainly silica and natron, were and are still quite abundant. Two kinds of crucibles were in use: fritting and melting. The first kind was used for fritting the raw materials of glass to produce glass frit blocks. Such fritting crucibles had a rectangular form which is not usually encountered in other places. Probably this was intended to facilitate the transport of the glass frit blocks produced to glass factories in different places where raw materials were not available. Dimensions for two fritting crucibles are proposed. The body texture is coarse, highly porous and almost loose. These features were intended by the ancient glassmaker to release the frit block easily by fracturing the crucible, which was thus used only once. The chemical composition is distinguished by a high content of...