Precious Egyptian glass of the Pharaonic period, luxury wares of Hellenistic times, and brilliant mosaic glass inlays from the Ptolemaic period and the early years of the Roman Empire - products of almost all the significant glass centers of the ancient world - are here presented for the first time. This splendid array was gathered in a few decennia by Ernesto Wolf who, recognizing the importance of preserving as much as possible of the archaeological context of ancient glass, acquired groups of finds in their entirety, among them an important hoard of Hellenistic luxury glass. The product of a discerning collector with a keen eye for beauty, these 155 vessels and objects range from the beginnings of glassworking in the sixteenth century B.C. to the first century A.D. when the novel technique of glassblowing spread through the Roman Empire.
Of particular value is a systematic analysis - the first to date - of the history of ancient glass technology. Presented in easy-to-understand language and accompanied by numerous comparative photographs and drawings, step-by-step descriptions of studio experiments reconstruct the techniques of the ancient artisans. The descriptive catalogue of this comprehensive collection is illustrated with full-color photographs by Peter Frankenstein and Hendrik Zwietasch who have captured the magic of ancient glass, enabling the reader to behold many small objects as through a magnifying glass. E. Marianne Stern and Birgit Schlick-Nolte meticulously researched and documented Ernesto Wolf's collection to create an essential handbook of early ancient glass.
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