Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5112155 | Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports | 2017 | 15 Pages |
Abstract
The medieval port city of SÄ«rÄf (ca. 800-1050Â CE) on the north coast of the Persian/Arabian Gulf linked the core lands of the 'AbbÄsid caliphate with India, China, Africa, and beyond. 101 glass fragments recovered from the 1966-1973 excavations at SÄ«rÄf and now at the Corning Museum of Glass were analysed using LA-ICPMS in order to explore the glassmaking raw materials and technology of the objects found within the city, as well as to address issues of the production and trade of glass during the Islamic period. The results indicate that the main groups of glass at SÄ«rÄf likely date to the 9th-early 11th centuries and can be subdivided by the trace elements zirconium and chromium. Chemical matches with some likely Indian glass, and with glass finds from South and Southeast Asia, underline the pivotal role of the Gulf in the eastward movement of Islamic glass via the Indian Ocean trade network, as well as the influx of Indian glass into the Islamic world. Glass bangles and a small number of vessel fragments likely date to the late 11th century or later, and their chemical compositions indicate different production origins.
Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities
Arts and Humanities
History
Authors
Carolyn M. Swan, Thilo Rehren, James Lankton, Bernard Gratuze, Robert H. Brill,