The mass production of glass in Ancient Rome prompted the development of glass jewellery. The ageing process of glass endows Roman glass jewellery with unique qualities. For instance, contaminants manufactured into the glass and exposure to the surrounding environment for thousands of years, result in beautiful lustres and speckling where the glass may have formerly been transparent.
Faience is a glazed ceramic known for producing bright colours, especially blues, turquoises and greens. It is produced from quartz or sand crystals mixed with other compounds, finished with a vitreous alkaline glaze to the surface. Faience glimmers in the light and was believed by the Egyptians to represent rebirth and immortality. Faience first appeared at the end of the fifth millennium B.C., enduring for four millennia in the Nile valley. During the Predynastic period, only green and blue faience occurred, however from the Old Kingdom and onwards, alternative colours such as black, yellow and red were added to the palette. The colours had different symbolisms for example, blue was thought to reflect fertility and life.
To find out more about Roman glass please see our relevant blog posts: Ancient Glass and Collecting Roman Glass.
