The Alchemy of Glass
Counterfeit, Imitation, and Transmutation in Ancient Glassmaking
Marco Beretta
“…Beretta employs archaeological and literary sources in his interpretation of the impact of glass production on the ancient world. By relating a technical industry (glassmaking) to the cultural and religious values of the societies that employed it, the author presents an interesting perspective on ways the development of vitreous craft knowledge was incorporated into existing religious values and practices in ancient civilizations. He also relates advances made in glass industries (especially glassblowing) to their affect on scientific discovery and cultural changes from ancient Egypt to early modern civilizations…Summing Up: Recommended. All levels of academic and general readers with a background and interest in classical archaeology.” —CHOICE, May 2010
“Beautifully illustrated, this study of the ancient art of glass making and the way in which it joined with the art of alchemy, is a fascinating exploration of another way of looking at nature that has resonance today. (The author) has combined document sources with artistic and archaeological evidence to piece together the history of glass production...This work is well and clearly written and would find a wide audience of lay readers.”—SciTech Book News
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
chapter 1
Artificial and Natural Glass in Mesopotamia and Egypt
chapter 2
The Greek Philosophers: Between Crystal and Glass
chapter 3
A Technical Revolution:
The Introduction and Cultural Impact of Glassblowing
chapter 4
Glass and Alchemy
chapter 5
From Byzantine Glass to Early Modern Alchemy
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index of Names
2009, 208 pp, full color throughout, 7 x 10, hard cover, jacketed, $59.95
© 2010 Watson Publishing International LLC