Glass Making History
The history of glass starts way back almost since the beginning of time. Before glass making, the only known glass was the natural glass which resulted from the fusion of certain rocks that melted due to volcanic eruptions and even meteors that fell on the earth.
Man made glass is first dated around 3,500 B.C. In Egypt and Mesopotamia, glass beads where made and the discovery of glass seems to have been a coincidence due to the sand mixing with heat and other combinations allowed them to form colored glass ceramics. Further findings show that glass making was becoming more popular among individuals who mastered the art.
Glass blowing was yet another achievement for glass makers. The discovery of glass making is attributed to Syrian glass makers and their method of using a long metal tube to blow through is still used today with only minor differences.
The modern production of flat glass comes along in the 1900’s. Thanks to a Belgian man named Fourcault, the process of making sheet glass was commercialized. Back then, the sheet glass making process was mostly handmade and required lots of work and precision.
Today, the glass making process has revolutionized thanks to technology. Today the mass production of sheet glass is controlled my computer programs and large machinery.
Now glass can be molded into almost any shape and we use it in complicates structures in building to every products we buy such as beer and soda bottles. Glass making has brought us many benefits and now glass making tools and supplies are found everywhere. You can make projects such as stained glass making or even learn about glass blowing techniques.
How to Color Glass
An indroduction to glass coloring for beginners.
Glass Making History
Glass making has been practiced for over 1,000 years.