|
The
showcases of this gallery are
designed for pottery and
glassware . they
also show the development of
these two industries. Some
basalt sculptures are also
displayed .
Terracotta
figurine depiction
Nemesis, the goddess of
justice and vengeance.
She wears a long robe
and a head-dress. She
carries scales, symbol
of justice , in her
right hand and a wheel,
symbol of her changing
nature , in her left
hand .
H. 28 cm. |
|
The
Phoenician Glassware:
Some scholars hold that
the origin of glass was
in Syria. There is the
often quoted story of
the Phoenician Sailors
and their chance
discovery of glass
through the combination
of fire, sand from the
sea-shore and snatronoda
from their cargo of
natron which let the
appearance of a
transparent liquid,
known later as
"glass".
The term
"Phoenician
glass" has been
given to flasks of
opaque glass resembling
the Greek marble
blasamariurn. The method
of manufacturing these
flasks is as follows:
They bring a metal rod
and fix clay and sand
round it. Then they
plunge it in an adhesive
glass paste. After the
rod is drawn out of the
paste, a thread of soft
glass is wound round it
until sufficient glass
has been gathered to
form the required shape
of the vessel. The glass
is then retreated and
rolled on a marble slab
to smooth and polish it.
Forms of decoration such
as the trailing of
colored lines of glass,
are applied, and further
marveling and light
raking with a comb treat
the typical feathered
decoration. Handles and
foot-stands are added
later with tongs.
Finally, the rod is
removed and the vessel
is left to dry. It is
interesting to note that
they continued to use
this method from the
14th century down to the
first century B.C. When
the Greek marble
basamariums appeared,
the glass-workers were
struck by their beauty
and began to imitate the
style of their
decoration. i.e.
coloured branches and
garlands.
The national Museum of
Damascus is considered
one of the riches
Museums of the world in
its collection of
glassware. Most of the
Museums of the world,
however, do have
important collections of
the Syrian glassware.
History has also
preserved to us the
names of a number of
glass-makers such as
Ennion or Artas etc. and
this suggests the extent
to which the glass
industry in Syria
flourished.
|
|