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Roman Furnace Project 2005: Glass Vessels

Introduction ('Home')    Thermal Imaging Photographs    Woodpile and Ash Pits

Covering the Pot Furnace    Photographs of Pots    Photographs of Glass Waste    Photographs of Glass Vessels

Group of vessels. Many of the glass vessels blown during the first few days cracked or broke due to thermal shock. This was eventually sorted out and some of the complete examples are shown.

One problem was the development of a whitish deposit on the surface of the vessels. With prolonged exposure (and particularly when the softening point of the glass was reached), the deposit fused with the glass to form a matt surface (potash in the wood ash?). The effects of reaching the softening point is also seen in the bent necks of the tall phials and in the distorted shoulder of one of the oil flasks.

Another problem experienced was iron scale from the nose of the blowing iron contaminating the glass. This shows up as small black specks and dark green streaks, particularly in the lip and neck of the vessel.

Phial with iron contamination on neck. Detail of iron contamination. Phial with bent neck (overheated) showing matt finish on neck and lip.
Small bottle showing iron contamination. Small bottle. Small bottle showing matt finish on neck and lip.
Oil flask showing matt finish on upper half of body. Oil flask (overheated causing collapsed shoulder) showing matt finish on upper half of body. Oil flask.
Overheated and collapsed phial showing matt finish all over body. Detail showing iron contamination.

"If you build it, they will come."

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