The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-11-18
WHO FIRST MADE GLASS P
The Parsions, at the Time of Alex
ander the Great, Drank From
Glass Vessels.

Mr.. Ludwig Grote, in the current num-
Der of Feilden Magazine, states that this
is not the case Mr.. Grote points out that
another hypothesis on the same subject is
equally overwhelmingly, "FlavIus DO
sephus. who ascribes the discovery of glass
to the Jews, as the result Of forest con-
fagration, when with the assistance of the
sand in the soil the glass came into exis
tence of It's own accord.
'As the PhGnicians and the Jews were
neighbors, - proceeds the author, there
is very likely an elemen, Of truth in both
traditions, inasmuch as both people exer-
cised the art of glass making at an early
aye. If the Phenicians were the first to
carry the productions of 2 ASS into the
world. by means of their traders, the Jews
did the same, to a greater and more lasting
extent Amongst the latter there were
whole tribes carrying on the making ot
glass. Most of the glass works at that
time existed on the coasts of the Medi-
terranean, and throughout the whole of the
Middle Ages. even up to the present time,
one kind Of glass blowing industry has been
in the hands of the jews, especially in
Palestine itself Many expressions which
were common in the glass works at that
time are still in use.
But neither the Jews nor the Phenl
clans can be looked upon as the inventors
of glass We find, for instance, that the
Persians, at the time of Alexander the
Great, were alse drinking out of glass YES
sells: that the Assyrians were yersed IN the
art Of making glass, as we can prove by
discoveries at Nineveh and also that the
art of making glass and of initiating pre-
cious stones was known to the ancient In
dians. OF great Importance with regard
to the history of the manufacture of glass
are also the ancient Egyptians When one
remembers the great industrial activity of
these people it is not surprising that, with
reference to the making Of glass, more
numerous traditions Of it are recorded by
them than by any other people. Not only
written. but also igurative representations,
which are more than 1000 years old. have
been handed down to our time The wall
relieis in the groves Of Benz Hassan repre-
sent the manufacture OF glass objects, they
represent, amongst Others, two 9 ass blowers
at work. They are working with the
blowing pipe, which they have dipped into
a mass living between them and by means
of which they blow ont vase What
extremely beautiful glass was manuiactur
ed, even at that time, Is proved by crystal
glass which Is to be found in the Museum
of the Louvre. The French, as well As
the English museums, possess numerous
artistic productions Of that period, at the
sight Of which one IS surprised, as in our
time and with our mechanical appliances it
is hardly possible TO surpasS them,
The Romans appear to have been the
principal customers Of the early jewish
glass makers, and with the Increasing lax
ury of that epoch the manufacture Of glass
increasssi. As it Was not limited to the pro
ductiou Of smaller useful objects, but also
extended to the building trades. That the
manufacture Of glass developed in an ar
Iissic sense TO the highest point need not
appear wonderful, with 80 extremely IN
iclligeni people as the Romans. The
treasures contained in the Museum Of the
Vatican. in the French Museums and in
the British Museum bear testimony to their
accomplished workmanship. The famous
Portland Vase in the museum Of this city
is probably the bes: proof Of il In the
year 2i0 A. ID, there were - many glass
blowers in Rome that they had set apart
Cor them their own quarter of the city.
But with the fall Of the Roman Empire
came also the decline of the art Of glass
making; with the extension Of Christianity
the glass industry gradually developed
again