How Much Did Pliny Know about Glass? (15 min)

Presenters

Katherine Larson, Corning Museum of Glass

Abstract

In book 37 of Natural History, Pliny describes the origins of glass, glass chemistry and composition, technologies of fabrication, and the relationship of glass and other materials. Some of his assertions, such as the inclusion of Belus River sand and Wadi Natrun salts, have been validated by modern research, while others, such as the invention of a flexible glass, have not borne out. In this short talk, I evaluate several of Pliny’s major claims about the nature of glass against contemporary understandings of Roman glass technology.