Islamic Glass Bowl - SF.202, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 800 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 3.3" (8.4cm) high x 8.8" (22.4cm) wide, Collection: Near Eastern, Style: Blown/Tooled, Medium: Glass, In order to understand and appreciate Islamic glass fully, the study of undecorated utilitarian vessels is just as crucial as that of elaborately embellished pieces. A revolution in glass making techniques took place in the 1st century B.C in the Syrio-Palestinian region. For centuries craftsmen had known how to produce glass objects by casting them in moulds or forming the molten glass around a removable clay core. However these methods were labour intensive and time-consuming. The invention of glass- blowing enabled faster production and greater possibilities in terms of the variety of shapes that could be achieved. The use of glass for everyday purposes also increased dramatically, a trend that continued into the Islamic period.

Antiquities
Ancient Near East