Glass is a common part of everyday life: From windows to drinking glasses, to storage jars to aesthetically pleasing objects, in various art forms. Glass is simple, yet versatile; it can be molded and colored into thousands of different outcomes, dependent upon the use it is created for. Beautiful, yet functional, glass has an interesting history, and has been utilized for decades upon decades. The following is a brief overview of glass: The history, methods to make glass, the composition, and glass found only in nature.

History Briefing of Glass

Glass has a long history: It is said to be produced as far back as 1500 B.C. in Egypt. The Egyptians are rumored to have made the glass from scratch. Glass is also said to be an experiment of Phoenician sailors. The sand below a bonfire they created, was said to turn into glass!

Glass objects where also found in Mesopotamia, dating approximately 1550 BC. Glass was considered to be so precious during these early times, it was reputated to be compared to that of gold.

Two Methods of Glass Making

Two earlier common methods are called core forming and glass blowing:

Core-forming refers to a core that is produced from dung and clay. Molten glass is wrapped around the core, while the glass maker created the shape of the object. Then, the glass is rolled on a smooth surface, finishing the piece.

Glass blowing refers to the method where the glass-maker would blow through a hollow tube, creating intriguing, symmetrical figures out of the "gather" of molten glass situated at the end of the tube. Another method is blowing molten glass into a mold, creating a multitude of glass items.