06-24-2005, 05:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-24-2005, 05:39 PM by Ben_Forsaken.)
Glass occurs naturally in the form of black obsidian (Obsius is the mythological discoverer of this stone), produced by volcanism, and as fulgurites (L: fulgur= lightning), produced by lightning strikes. As early as 3000BC, glass was used to coat pottery, but it took until 1500BC before glass was used for containers in Egypt and Mesopotamia. After declining, the glass industry bloomed in Roman times around 50AD, when transparent glass of various colours could be made and blown. Glass was made by mixing sand with soda and lime, and heating it. Miraculously, a clear liquid formed, which went very hard when cooled. In the early Middle Ages (1300-1500), Venice developed an advanced glass industry, making cristallo, finely ornamented glasswork. Glass making spread further over Europe to Bohemia, England, and other places. By the end of the 19th century, glass making was sufficiently understood to make almost any quality required.