The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-11-23
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WIsI!GIYS)
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"As the Phoenicinns and the jews
we're neighbors," proceeds the nu.hor,
.there Is very likely an element Oh
truth In both traditions, inasmuch as
both people exercised the art OF glass
making at an early age. III tne
phoenicians were the first TO carry the
roductions Of glass into the world py
means of their traders, the Jews did the
same, TO a greater and more lasting eN-
llent. Among the latter there were
whole tribes carrying on the making OF
glass. Most OF the glnssworks ~ tha'
time existed on the coasts OF the Medi-
ltcrrancan, and throughout the whole
of the middle ages, even up to the pres
ent time, one kind of glass-blowing IN
dustry has been In the hands OF the
Jews, especially In Palestine ITSELF
MANY expressions which were common
in the glassworks at that time are s'il'
In use.
"But neither the Jews nor the
phoenicians can be looked upon ms the
Inventors Of glass. We find for instance
that the Persians, at the time OF Alex
lander the Great, were also drinking on,
Of glass vessels; that the Assyrians
we're vcrsed in the art Of making glass,
as we can prove by discoveries Mt Nine
sch, and also that the art OF making
glass and of initiating precious stones
was known to the ancient Indians. Oi
great importance with regard to the
history of the manufacture of glass are
also the ancient Egyptians. When one
remembers the great industrial acti'
lty of these people, II Is not surprising
THAT with reference TO the making ol
iplass more numerous traditions Of u
are recorded by them than by any Other
people. Not only written but also fig
Iurntive representations which are more
than 1000 years old have been handed
down to our time. The wall rciiefs II
the groves OF Bcni-Iassan represent the
manufacture OF glass objects: they rep
resent. among others, two glass blow
ers at work. They are working with th'
blowing pipe, which they have dippe'
into mass lying between them. an'
by means Of which they blow out u vase
What extremely beautiful glass wa
manufactured, even at that time, y
proved by n crystal glass which is to b
found In the museum OF the Louvre
The French as well as the Englisl
museums possess numerous nr'isti
productions of that period, at the sigh
of which one Is surprised. as in on
time and with our mechanical appli
ances II is hardly possible to surpas
them.
"rhe Romans appear to have been tn
principal customers of the early JEWS
glass makers. and with the increasin
luxury of that epoch, the manufactur
of glass increased, as II was not limite
to the production of smaller useful oil
jccts. but also extended to the buildin
trades. That the manufacture of gln,
developed In an artistic sense to I'll
highest point need not appear wondc
full, with so extremely intelligent n pee
pie as the Romans. The treasures col
tained In the museum OF the Natica
in the French museums, and In II
British museum bear testimony to the
accomplished workmanship. The Il
nous Portland Vase In the museum
London Is probably the hest proof of
In the year 2i0 a. d., there were
many glass blowers in Rome that tn,
had set apart for them their own qua
ter Of the city. But with ,hs fall Of Il
Roman empire came also the decline
the art of glass making; with the g
tension of Christianity the glass indu
try gradually developed again. Fell
ems Magazine.