As you know, the glass used by us ineveryday life - artificial material. But he has a natural counterpart - obsidian. It is a frozen volcanic lava or molten rock. It was obsidian used by primitive people for the manufacture of various cutting tools, as well as jewelry.
The man-made glass, whose history of origin will be discussed below, initially differed little from natural. It could not boast of either beauty or transparency.
History of the invention of glass: legends and conjectures
Antique explorer Pliny the Elder leads inIn their writings, information that artificial glass appeared thanks to travelers who cooked food on the sandy shore and used a piece of natural soda as a stand for the boiler. The next day, a glass peel was found on the outer walls of the boiler. Pliny's hypothesis was only refuted in the 20th century. Scientists have proven that it is impossible to melt glass on an open fire. However, already several thousand years ago, the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt and Dvorichchia learned how to smelt glass in pits. The temperature in these primitive furnaces was high enough to make new material out of sand, alkali and lime. However, the first man-made glass, most likely, was indeed created by chance during the production of pottery.
The oldest technology
The history of glass in the history of mankind hasmore than 4 thousand years. The images and artifacts found in the tombs of the Pharaohs give an idea of the ancient production methods and taste preferences of the Egyptians. So, glass was originally used as a glaze for pottery. Beads, flacons and pendants were also made from it. The Egyptians, unlike the inhabitants of Dvorichchya, preferred opaque glass. It was painted with metal oxides in blue, purple, yellow and other colors. Only officials and persons of royal blood could afford glass products. Small items were made by the following method: a clay core was placed on a metal rod, onto which hot glass was wound.
The large ones were made like this: the form was placed in a glass mass and turned. Glass was deposited on the walls in a thin layer and hardened, and the mold was subsequently removed.
The evolution of production. Antiquity
The history of glass (man-made,Of course) is reflected in many museum collections. Considering the collection of Egyptian antiquities, we can conclude that the oldest products did not differ in complexity. Details were melted separately and stuck to the main volume. The Egyptians also practiced making mosaic (glass) glass that was used to decorate furniture. This technique was adopted and perfected by the Romans several centuries later. In addition, shortly before the beginning of our era, artisans from Alexandria invented a glass-blowing tube. With its help, a bubble was blown out of the hot mass and gradually gave it shape with various special tools. In addition to free-blowing, in antiquity, blowing in the matrix has spread. Sometimes masters used a whole range of forms, from which they then assembled the finished product. The method allowed to produce complex glass structures. Moreover, the Romans learned to glaze windows. Antique window glass was rather muddy and very thin and was cast (presumably) in flat forms.
The Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Achievements of the Venetians
Romans contributed to the spreadglassmaking in Europe. True, local (in particular, Cologne) products were inferior in quality to the eastern ones, but then German craftsmen invented sheet glass. In composition, it differed little from the modern. The masters from Venice went even further. The history of glass in the history of mankind is unthinkable without the contribution of the Venetians. They purposefully worked on improving the properties of the material and achieved its exceptional transparency. The policy of protectionism regarding local production bore fruit: the local crystal was highly valued in Europe.
In addition to dishes and flat glass, Venetiancraftsmen made lenses for glasses and mirrors. Almost half of the city’s population was engaged in glassmaking. The workshops were even transferred to the island of Murano in order to avoid urban fires and information leaks. Of course, the Venetians had competitors, first of all, Genoese artisans. But an analogue of Murano glass was obtained by the Englishman John Ravencroft only in the 17th century.
The history of glass in Russia. Craft development
In Russia, this expensive material came from Byzantium.In Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, archaeologists excavated glassmaker's workshops dating back to the 11th century. But few items survived, the secrets of mastery were lost. Therefore, it is difficult to assume whether the Russian history of glass. In the history of mankind, it often happened that many things had to be reinvented. The revival of the craft happened only in the 17th century (in 1639), when the Swede Y. Koyet built a window glass and pharmaceutical glassware factory near the capital. Thirty years later the Izmailovsky Plant was established. Luxury goods were made here, mainly refined "amusing" goblets modeled on Venetian ones.
In the 18th century, several glass factories earnedin the vicinity of St. Petersburg. Colored glass was reinvented. Products were painted with gold and silver, decorated with transparent and opaque enamels.
Modern Glassmaking
In the 18-19 centuries, the history of glass in historyhumanity was caused by the industrial revolution. Throughout Europe, there was an improvement in the production process. New furnaces appeared, the technologies for pulling and mass treatment changed. Plants were built, the products of which were focused on the average man, and not on the ruling persons. In other words, glass became available. By the beginning of the 20th century, many small enterprises were working in central Russia that produced dishes and flat glass. True, they could not meet the growing needs: the volume of imports remained high.
In 1959, English technologists invented a newmethod of stretching and leveling the glass in the bath with molten tin. It is called the "float method." This technology, somewhat modernized, is also used in modern production.
