ISLAMIC
ARAB GLASS
A
historical glance of development of glass
making :
The
art of glass making flourished in Syria before
Islam.
Its
chief centers were Sidon , Tyre and Antioch.
The industry continued to develop during the
Islamic-Arab periods where other important
centers arose at Ar-Raqqah . Aleppo and
Damascus . The industry then maintained the
conventional methods :
- Glassblowing
, i.e. the method known in Syria since the
Roman Period.
- Ornamentation
of glass with thin or thick glass threads
and sometimes with cords forming animal
motifs.
- Ornamentauon
of glass with discs and additional
protuberances.
- Revival
of the old technique used before the
discovery of blowing ( glass decorated
with threads sunk inside the glass). The
technique is summed up as follows: The
glassworker prepares a mould from wet sand
pressed on a certain form. An adhesive
substance may be poured on it to
secure its cohesion. The mould is
then dipped in the fused glass by means of
a rod fixed at its tip. Sometimes the
fused glass is poured on the mould until a
layer of glass covers it and in that
manner the vessel is formed . The vessel
is decorated with a
thread of soft glass to be wound round it
before putting it back into the furnace.
when the vessel is taken out of the
furnace, the thread is drawn by a tongs to
create the festoons. After that the vessel
is reheated and rolled on a solid object
so that the festoon should penetrate the
body of the vessel.
- Blowing
of glass in mould ornamented with
motifs in relief.
- Incision
of the vessel surface to create various
motifs.
- Filling
the surface of the thick or crystalline
vessel to create motifs by means of
cutting go get uneven surfaces. This
method is usually executed on crystal and
is considered the most important industry
of glass. Egypt was famous of this
industry during the Fatimid Period. The
pieces of this variety are considered the
most important Islamic masterpiece.
- Ornamentation
of glass with decorations having golden
luster : This industry started in the
Abbasid Age. The glass-worker prepared a
coat formed of the silver oxide with which
he decorated the glass vessels. Ar-Raqqah
and Fustat were famous of this particular
industry which was not known in Damascus.
However I have deciphered these words on a
cup found at ar-Raqqah " Made in
Damascus ". I have pointed out this
point in my commentary on the glass of
ar-Raqqah.
- Gilding
of glass : by mixing the powder of gold
with mercury. The vessel is
coated with this mixture and put in
a furnace. The mercury is burnt and the
gold remains fast. This method was not
known before Islam: The Byzantines used to
apply a layer of gold to the glass. This
art was current in the Abbasid Age : Al-Washha
mentions that " Aliyyah, daughter of
al-Mahdi " used to write verses in
gold on the cups. If this is true, it
means that gilding existed in the second
century of al-Hijra. In fact we have not
recognized any gilded piece of this Age.
There is only one of the 5th C.A.H. = 11
A.D. which we will refer to duly.
- Overlaying
of glass with gold and enamel : Opaque
glass substance mixed with lead, to be
crushed well and mixed with the oxides of
colored metals, and is being melted a
little in water. The decorations are
overlaid with it before being put in the
furnace .
It
is noteworthy that the art of enameling on
glass is the most important achievement of the
Arabs and Muslims in the 6th century A.H. = 12
A.D. The archaeologists have been able to
distinguish three centers for the
art of enameling : The oldest of which
is ar-Raqqah, the second is Aleppo and the
third is Damascus. Three types of glass are
attributed to the above noted centers :
ar-Raqqah type (6 - 7 A.H.). The first type of
Aleppo (6 - 7 A.H.). Both dates correspond
with. the Ayyubid Period. The second type of
Aleppo (7 - 8 A.H. ) and the type of Damascus
( 7 - 9 A.H.). Both dates correspond with the
Mamluk Period.
Mosque
lamp overlayed with enamel and gold
7-8 century A.H. = 13-14 A.D.
Found at Hems
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