Comments on: Ancient glass. https://ounodesign.com/2008/10/30/ancient-glass/ Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:53:24 +0000 hourly 1 By: Allaire https://ounodesign.com/2008/10/30/ancient-glass/#comment-49 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:53:24 +0000 http://blog.ounodesign.com/?p=343#comment-49 To answer your questions. We do not know exactly what they were drinking, most probably wine or beer. The trails you see are only for decoration and do not add strength. They are very thin trails, to our knowledge no stands were used. It was common for the drinker to consume the entire contents at once. Most of the trails used in the glass making of the Merovingian period where of opaque white. Occasionally they were the same color as the vessel. Any other questions about glass of this period?

]]> By: admin https://ounodesign.com/2008/10/30/ancient-glass/#comment-48 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:12:33 +0000 http://blog.ounodesign.com/?p=343#comment-48 In reply to Foster Grant.

Thank you, Allaire. Clearly we are not experts in glass! Were the bell beaker glasses meant for alcohol, or some other drink, or both? Were the glass trails decorative or functional – did these rest in stands? I was wondering if the glass rings added strength or a place for the glass to rest against a stand. Thanks again.

]]> By: Allaire https://ounodesign.com/2008/10/30/ancient-glass/#comment-47 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:42:24 +0000 http://blog.ounodesign.com/?p=343#comment-47 These two “odd” beakers were made during the Merovingian period (5th-7th c. AD) in Europe. The forms you see are the same as when made. They did not have stems, designed so the drinker must empty the contents of the vessel completely before putting it down.

This shape is referred to as a bell beaker and often had thin glass trails around the upper flared rim as shown in these two examples.

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