Egyptian Handmade Perfume Bottles

Blown glass, a very ancient technique, is the oldest among the handicrafts. It is said by some, that ancient Egyptians were the original inventors of glass making techniques. Production of metallurgy and faience helped a great deal in the manufacture of glass afterwards. The earliest Egyptian glass known to us was in the form of small beads and pendants found in sites dating back to the 3rd millennium B.C. At that time glass was made by melting a combination of silica-sand, lime, and soda. The interaction of the heated soda and the hot sand formed a transparent flowing liquid, which was then permitted to cool forming glass.

The first glass vessels appeared in Egypt in the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C. These were made by the technique of molding on a core made of mud and sand to form the shape of the vessel's interior. Then the core was submerged into viscous molten glass. Once the vessel was cold, the core had to be scraped out.

At that time, glass was regarded, as an artificial semi-precious stone and it was a costly novelty material, most likely the aristocracy owned no glass workshops since it was a royal monopoly.

The decline of royal power after the end of the New Kingdom put a stop to glass production for a time. Not till the Greco-Roman Period did new Egyptian glass centers arise in the Hellenistic cities of Alexandria and Naucratis.

The revolutionary invention of glass-blowing took place, probably in Syria, during the 1st century BC, though the technique did not reach Alexandria until the latter half of the following century when it was introduced by the Romans. The new discovery widely increased production and glass then ceased to be either a rarity or an upper-class prerogative.

Blown glass vessels were created by sticking a piece of molten glass onto one end of a blowpipe and through the other end introducing pressurized air into the pipe. This was done by mouth blowing. At that stage, the art of transformation into attractive shapes began. It was then cut with a copper wheel and ground with emery powder. After the vessel took its shape, decorations were added by pinching the hot glass, adding handles or other features to it, changing simple straight patterns into more intricate ones. After the coloring and hand painting process was completed, the bottles were put into a furnace with a very high temperature to set the color on the glass so that it is permanent. Afterwards, the bottles needed to be left out to cool. Then they were ready.

Nowadays, blown glass products are still made the same way our ancient ancestors used to make them. No extras are used but the very primitive tools used 7000 years ago and the golden fingers of the Egyptian craftsmen.

A. Basel
http://WWW.bazaarway.com

---

Painting Philosophy of Peruvian Artist

LifeI paint with an emphasis on expressing LIFE (the spirit... Read More

On Being Human

Are we human because of unique traits and attributes not... Read More

Brazil--Comments by a Gilliam Fan a Little Too Late

Either I am one of the darkest people ever or... Read More

A Short Biography on Some of Europes Most Loved and Hated Monarchs - Pt2 (Mad) King George III

King George III who suffered from porphyria, a maddening disease,... Read More

In Seach Of Heroes - Matrimonial Heroes (Part One)

Just as our arrival at destination is tied to the... Read More

Druidic University

MEGALITHIIC POWER PLANTS:Druidic University:Long before there was a Rome or... Read More

A Short Biography on Some of Europes Most Loved and Hated Monarchs - Pt 4 Queen Mary I

Queen Mary I of England was born in 1516 to... Read More

Family, Incest, and Law

Family Values in Ancient Times:Many people of the present make... Read More

African Americans: Get the Winning Edge

Everybody wants an edge that will give him or her... Read More

The Different Styles of Inuit Sculptures

At first, all Inuit soapstone sculptures from the Arctic may... Read More

What is Y Ddraig Goch - the Welsh Red Dragon?

The red Dragon was introduced to Britain during Roman times.... Read More

Flows of Civilization; Views from a Think Tank

Over the past few years we have been discussing many... Read More

She Wrote the Book on Fakin It

She brought the guitar into vogue. She created the first... Read More

Astrology Refuted: They Should Have Seen It Coming

A comedian once showed a newspaper to his audience. The... Read More

Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos

Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage... Read More

A Defense of Cultural Intelligence

When humans set off to address fundamental issues about what... Read More

Ludlow Festival

His plays and adaptations have been performed in many countries... Read More

Your Souls Purpose Is Found In the Zodiac

Of course, science has explained this to us, and we... Read More

An Interview on History and Educational Media

1. Can you briefly summarize why you think history is... Read More

The Origin of Americas Corporate Elite (BC)

Ephesus had a shrine to the Anatolian mother-goddess and the... Read More

Bohemian Grove

"Bohemian Grove is 'the greatest men's party on Earth', according... Read More

The Symbolism Behind an Anchor Tattoo and Anchor Tattoo Design

Anchor tattoos were all the rage for sailors. It was... Read More

Zorro

ZORRO:Timon of Athens. But most often they wrote in code... Read More

The Crisis of Human Survival

Environmental Pollution1. Damage to The Ozone Layer Causes Radiation PollutionThe... Read More

Shakespeare and Human Nature

Isn't it peculiar how human nature evolves through environmental and... Read More

When We Was Kids In Chicago (Part 2)

From an early age my Mother sent me to the... Read More

African Masks The Art of Creation

With western eyes we tend to view a tribal mask... Read More

Michael Jacksons Latest Album Has Flopped

One month after being cleared of sex assault charges, Michael... Read More

Are You Embarassed by Your Civil War Uniform Impression?

"Authentic," "authentic," "authentic" is all you hear if you are... Read More

Jewelry and the Darkside: Fashionable Gothic Jewelry

No, by jewelry and the darkside, we are not referring... Read More

Conspiracies: The Pyramid and the Sphinx

Egypt has long been the source of countless conspiracies, ranging... Read More

Propaganda and American Journalism, Born Joined at Birth

Passion was the main stuff of journalism long before the... Read More

Ancient Indian Civilizations - Where Did They All Go?

In 1350 AD we were still quite a few centuries... Read More