Nile Blue: Glass Production
Most archaeologists believe glass was first producted in Mesopotamia, what is now modern-day Iraq, likely between 3000 and 2000 BCE. Glass production began in Egypt later, during the New Kingdom during the reign of Tuthmosis III, around 1450 BCE.
Evidence of glass production is found by palace complexes. At Amarna, the capital city of Egypt under the reign of Akhenaten, two furnaces found there are thought to be associated with glass production. The Egyptians already knew how to make faience, a substance that required similar raw materials to produce.
This glass vessel was created by wrapping glass treads around a sandy core before the glass cooled. The craftsman could create different designs by manipulating different colored glass threads.
Opaque glass, such as this vessel, was popular because it mimicked the appearance to precious stones like lapis lazuli. It was nearly a thousand years before clear glass was popular.
This glass vase came from the palace of Amenhotep III at Malqata. Amenhotep also ruled during the New Kingdom, but at this time the Egyptians had mastered the skill of glass-making.
Another explaination for glass-making techniques is classed 'core-formed.' This means, unlike adding colored glass rods, a core of clay is formed and attached to a metal rod. THis core-form is submerged into liquid-hot glass and the glass if formed around the clay. After the glass hardens and cools, the clay and rod are removed from the glass vessel. Other colors can be added to the hot glass to create designs. It is possible this vase was created using this method.