1001 Shards: Mentions of Shards in Texts
Literary texts mention the use and importance of glass in Byzantine and Islamic times. Texts from Constantinople refer to the purchase of glass, and they inform us about the way in which glass vessels were transported: in baskets packed with straw. Textual evidence suggests that glass was an often used and highly valued material. While lamps were recorded most often, other glass items were also of importance to the Byzantines.
An aspect often mentioned in texts is the value placed on the transparency of glass. Michael Psellos (11th century), for example, described glass “transparent and of great price”.
A medieval text mentions a young cup-bearer dropping a precious colourless cup, and being killed by his master for it. In the story, the master laments the loss of the precious cup, crying out “Alas, my glass cup has died”. While the story-teller is sympathetic to the cup-bearer, not the tyrant, it shows that something like this was within the realm of imagination for the Byzantines. Transparent glass cups were, according to texts, often used for wine – in order to show off its colour and clarity .
Other texts inform us about glass use for medical purposes. Colourless bottles were valued highly for the fact that one could see what liquid was inside the vessel. Doctors used them to observe collected urine for the colour and consistency in order to determine the health status of their patients.
A Paleistinian conical lamp in colourless glass.
(Stern 1999, 480)
