how did human first discover glass and the proper use for it?
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Edited..
Syrians supposedly used to cook over very hot fires on the desert sands, and it is thought that the heat must have turned the sand into glass. But that cant be true, so this is a mystery.
Mesopotamians started trying to make glass about 4,000 years ago, out of soda, lime, and sand, and likely very quickly saw how brittle and breakable it is. It was mostly made and used in small amounts, as trinkets and adornments for coins, and weapons, and such.
Phoenecians in 1200 BC started mass producing it.
In any event, the whole “doing glass properly” thing has taken about 4,000 years just to make it tempered/ laminated safety rated, to not shatter and fall apart and then slice you up when it breaks.
Considering that most people still DO NOT have tempered and laminated glass windows, Im going to say, we havent gotten to the point of glazing (glass window installs) to the point that its done properly, yet.
We are probably a few hundred years away from that..
🙂
I used to work in a glass museum. The earliest examples of glass were actually melted enamels applied to decorate clay vessels with color. The earliest glass vessels were essentially thick layers of glass enamel around a simple dirt core. Once the glass cooled they would pick out the core and have a hollow vessel. The Roman’s are attributed with the discovery of glass blowing, around 50 BCE.
There is a fun story where Pliny the elder attributed the discovery of glass to Phoenicians building a fire on a beach and discovering that the sand melted into glass, but that doesn’t fit with the archeological evidence.
I used to work in a glass museum. The earliest examples of glass were actually melted enamels applied to decorate clay vessels with color. The earliest glass vessels were essentially thick layers of glass enamel around a simple dirt core. Once the glass cooled they would pick out the core and have a hollow vessel. The Roman’s are attributed with the discovery of glass blowing, around 50 BCE.
There is a fun story where Pliny the elder attributed the discovery of glass to Phoenicians building a fire on a beach and discovering that the sand melted into glass, but that doesn’t fit with the archeological evidence.
Edited..
Syrians supposedly used to cook over very hot fires on the desert sands, and it is thought that the heat must have turned the sand into glass. But that cant be true, so this is a mystery.
Mesopotamians started trying to make glass about 4,000 years ago, out of soda, lime, and sand, and likely very quickly saw how brittle and breakable it is. It was mostly made and used in small amounts, as trinkets and adornments for coins, and weapons, and such.
Phoenecians in 1200 BC started mass producing it.
In any event, the whole “doing glass properly” thing has taken about 4,000 years just to make it tempered/ laminated safety rated, to not shatter and fall apart and then slice you up when it breaks.
Considering that most people still DO NOT have tempered and laminated glass windows, Im going to say, we havent gotten to the point of glazing (glass window installs) to the point that its done properly, yet.
We are probably a few hundred years away from that..
🙂
Edited..
Syrians supposedly used to cook over very hot fires on the desert sands, and it is thought that the heat must have turned the sand into glass. But that cant be true, so this is a mystery.
Mesopotamians started trying to make glass about 4,000 years ago, out of soda, lime, and sand, and likely very quickly saw how brittle and breakable it is. It was mostly made and used in small amounts, as trinkets and adornments for coins, and weapons, and such.
Phoenecians in 1200 BC started mass producing it.
In any event, the whole “doing glass properly” thing has taken about 4,000 years just to make it tempered/ laminated safety rated, to not shatter and fall apart and then slice you up when it breaks.
Considering that most people still DO NOT have tempered and laminated glass windows, Im going to say, we havent gotten to the point of glazing (glass window installs) to the point that its done properly, yet.
We are probably a few hundred years away from that..
🙂
Proper use, as in: Do you mean Holding Beer?
Proper use, as in: Do you mean Holding Beer?
Proper use, as in: Do you mean Holding Beer?
The origins of glass are not entirely clear, but it is believed that it was discovered accidentally around 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, the region that is now Iraq. It is thought that glass was first created when ancient people started experimenting with the heat and chemical properties of various materials, such as sand, limestone, and soda ash.
The earliest known glass objects were small beads, which were created by winding hot glass around a metal rod and then letting it cool. These beads were used as decoration and for trading.
Over time, glassmaking techniques improved and glass objects became more sophisticated. The ancient Egyptians, for example, were known for their skill in creating glass vessels, which they used for storing perfume, oils, and other liquids. The Romans also made extensive use of glass, creating windows, mirrors, and decorative objects.
As for the proper use of glass, its versatility and transparency made it an ideal material for a wide range of applications, from jewelry and art to windows and lenses. Its use in optics, in particular, was revolutionary and paved the way for the development of telescopes and microscopes.
In summary, the discovery of glass and its proper use was the result of a long process of experimentation and refinement by ancient people who were fascinated by the properties of various materials and willing to push the boundaries of what was possible.
The origins of glass are not entirely clear, but it is believed that it was discovered accidentally around 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, the region that is now Iraq. It is thought that glass was first created when ancient people started experimenting with the heat and chemical properties of various materials, such as sand, limestone, and soda ash.
The earliest known glass objects were small beads, which were created by winding hot glass around a metal rod and then letting it cool. These beads were used as decoration and for trading.
Over time, glassmaking techniques improved and glass objects became more sophisticated. The ancient Egyptians, for example, were known for their skill in creating glass vessels, which they used for storing perfume, oils, and other liquids. The Romans also made extensive use of glass, creating windows, mirrors, and decorative objects.
As for the proper use of glass, its versatility and transparency made it an ideal material for a wide range of applications, from jewelry and art to windows and lenses. Its use in optics, in particular, was revolutionary and paved the way for the development of telescopes and microscopes.
In summary, the discovery of glass and its proper use was the result of a long process of experimentation and refinement by ancient people who were fascinated by the properties of various materials and willing to push the boundaries of what was possible.
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