UNUSUAL PITCHERS
In ancient
times, the country of bold sailors and explorers, Phenicia, was located next to
Egypt. Enlightened people, skilled craftsmen, and enterprising merchants
inhabited it. The Phoenicians knew many crafts. They also knew the art of
glassmaking.
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| Phoenician City |
They not only
molded from glass like the Egyptians but knew how to extrude it into forms. The
metal mold was prepared in advance. A pattern was cut out on the inner walls.
The hot glass was placed in the mold. It pressed against the walls and
solidified, preserving all the details of the drawing. So glass figurines were
born. And in the city of Tire, in the Phoenician capital, a cast glass column
was preserved. It was installed in the temple, which the Phoenicians built to
their god Melkvart. It was their main god. The Phoenicians believed that
Melkwart guarded the ships during long sea voyages. And the Phoenician
merchants traveled and sailed far away. They transported goods around the
world.
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| Phoenician Glass Mask Amulet |
Especially were
valued then things made of glass. Phoenician merchants traded glass products of
their masters. They also bought a lot of glass in Egypt and resold it to other
nations. But times have changed. The Romans conquered Egypt, Phenicia, Babylon.
Trade between countries has been disrupted. Egyptian glass began to come to
Rome in the form of a mandatory tribute, and this greatly reduced its value. In
addition, Roman craftsmen themselves began to make glass vessels. And then in
Rome, a rumor spread that craftsmen from the Phoenician city of Sidon know some
special way of making glassware.
People
were surprised to tell each other that this glassware is not molded, but blown
out using a long iron tube. Even the name of the Sidon master was called -
Ennion, who makes jugs shaped like ... a human head!