'Chemical Analyses of Some Asian Glasses.' - Corning Museum of … · 2012-02-19 · I'WO . of...

CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF SOME ASIAN GLASSES

Robert H. Brill (The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY, USA, 14830)

Philip M. Fenn (Corning, Inc., Corning, NY, USA, 14830)

David E. Lange (Harvard University, 20 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, USA, 02138)

Abstract

Chemical analyses of about 200 ancient glasses from China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and India are reported. It is hoped that these data will provide a starting point for classifying Asian glasses according to their places and dates of manufacture. They are already valuable for indentifying imports from "The West."

Introduction

Since the previous meetings of TC-17 that dealt with Asian glass [1-3], we have completed chemical analyses of just over 200 additional glasses from East and Southeast Asia. The analyses were carried out in collaboration with archaeologists and curators in several nations. Some are electron microprobe analyses by two of the authors (DEL and PMF) and the remainder are ICP and emission spectrographic analyses by Brandt A. Rising of Umpire and Control Services. All three laboratories also analyzed the Museum's Reference glasses A, B,C, and D.

Discussion

Because of space limitations, only cursory group descriptions of the samples can be given here. These are contained in Table 1, which also serves as a concordance with lead-isotope samples reported and discussed in two companion papers [9,10]. For the same reason, it is not possible to report the individual analyses. Instead, these are summarized in Table 2.

In addition to the well known heavily-leaded glasses, three other important, but less familiar, chemical families also emerge from the data ..~

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Brill, R. H.; Fenn, P. M.; Lange, D. E. "Chemical Analyses of Some Asian Glasses." Proceedings of XVII International Congress on Glass, v. 6, Glass Technology, Glass Archeometry. Beijing: Chinese Ceramic Society, 1995, pp. 463-468.

Rakow Research Library, The Corning Museum of Glass - http://www.cmog.org

I'WO of these are more-or-less unique to East and Southeast Asia, and India. Geographical distributions of the three families, as they presently appear, are shown in Table 2, which has been modified from an earlie~ version [8]. Mean values of the reduced compositions [2] are given in Table 3 along with 90% confidence limits, while Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the differences. The ranges of the compositions will undoubtedly change as work progresses, and the geographical distributions should become both expanded and better defined. Presumably, the compositional families themselves will be resolved into subgroups. We plan to continue doing analyses, but meanwhile it might be useful to combine the analyses mentioned here with those conducted by other laboratories. Back-calculations of possible batch formulations are underway, because the compositional differences clearly reflect the use of different batch materials, processing, formulations, or melting technologies.

Chemical evidence seems to be building for the eastward distribution of the high alumina-low lime soda gla$es, which we believe were made in India [3, pp. 1-25]. Also, there is a groJp of mixed-alkali glasses with high alumina and moderate lime that wet{excavated on Sri Lanka. We would like to analyze additional samples from Sri Lanka, particularly from Mantai. Perhaps the most exciting of the newer families coming to light is the K20:Si02 glass. In addition to the glasses analyzed by Shi Meiguang [4], and perhaps by others, we ourselves have now analyzed 39 examples (although 10 are from a single cache of beads and 9 are from a single site, Arikamedu [10]). The composition appears to be unique to glasses found in East and Southeast Asia and India. It may be relatively short-lived (at present spanning only 4 or 5 centuries), is represented both in beads and rather elegant vessels, has been found in the form of manufacturing waste at Arikamedu, and (if all that is not enough) poses intriguing questions regarding raw materials, melting properties, and durability.

A more comprehensive account of the findings will be published in the future, but in the meantime some of the data will be alluded to in other papers at this Congress [9, 10].

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the archaeologists, curators, and institutions who provided samples for this research. Among them are: Shi Meiguang, In-Sook Lee, Kazuo Yamasaki, the late Dorothy Blair, A. Griswold, John Twilley, Arthur Leeper, Dezso Benedek, E. Edwards McKinnon, Pierre-Yves Manguin, Ian Glover, Kishor Basa, Piriya Krairiksh, John C.arswell, and E. Marianne Stern. Sherri L. Seavey provided valuable help in preparing the typescript.

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References

[1] R. H. Brill and J. H. Martin, eds., Scientific Research in Early Chinese Glass, Corning: The Corning Museum of Glass, 1991.

[2] Archaeometry of Glass, Archaeol11etry Sessions of the XIVth International Congress on Glass, New Delhi, 1986, Calcutta: Indian Ceramic Society, 1987, Introduction, Section 1, pp. 1-80, and Section 2, pp. 1-30, passilll.

[3] Proceedings of the 15th International Congress on Glass,Leningrad, 1989, Archaeol11etry, The International Commission on Glass, 1989, pp. 1-99.

[4] Shi Meiguang, He Ouli, and Zhou Fuzheng, Journal of the Chinese Silicate Society, 14, 1986, in Chinese.

[5] John Twilley, "Technical Examinations of an Early 15th century Chinese Cloisonne Offering Stand," 8th World Ceralllic Conference, Florence, 1994 (in press).

[6] S. P. Koob, "The Conservation of Archaeological Glass, with Special Reference to Chinese Glasses," proceedings of this Congress.

[7] In-Sook Lee, R. H. Brill and P. M. Fenn, "Chemical Analyses of Some Ancient Glasses from Korea," Annales du 12" Congres de l'Association Internationale pour I'Histoire du Verre, Vienna, August, 1991, Amsterdam, The International Association for the History of Glass, 1993, pp. 163176.

[8] R. H. Brill, "Scientific Investigation of Ancient Asian Glass," Nara Symposium '91, Report, UNESCO Maritime Route of Silk Roads, Nara, March 1993, pp. 70-79.

[9] R. H . Brill, "Scientific Research in Early Asian Glass," proceedings of this Congress.

[10] R. H. Brill & H. Shirahata, "Lead-Isotope Analyses of Some Asian Glasses," proceedings of this Congress.

Table 3. MEAN COMPOSITIONS

Hi Ah03, 10 CaO K,O:SiO, Mixed Alkali

90% 90% 90% 90% 90% YO %

CL. Mean CL. CL. Mean CL. CL. Mean C L. SiO,' 59.09 67.00 74.91 75.43 78.24 81.05 56.45 62.72 68.99 Na,O' 13.08 17.15 21.21 -0.02 0.66 1.35 2.95 6.63 HUO CaO' 1.03 2.78 4.53 ll.lll 1.41 2.80 10.91 14.30 17.69 K,O' 0.71 2.19 3.68 12.85 15.63 18.41 5.48 9:11 12.74 MgO' -0.13 0.85 1.83 0.13 0.36 0.58 0.21 2.96 5.71 AhO,' 4.27 8.18 12.09 1.11 2.36 3.62 0.52 3.73 6.93 Fe20:flt 0.79 1.85 2.92 0.45 1.33 2.21 0.13 0.56 1.00 TiO,' 0.27 0.53 0.78 0.04 0.14 0.23 0.06 0.20 0.35

(n=34) (n=32) (n=12) MBeijA I. MKSi02. MBeijMxil.

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Table 1. SAMPLE DESCRIPTIONS

Chemic'al Analyses Donor, Lab, Lead Isotope Analyses Symbols See esp. Refs. [9,101.

China China

6510-12 Hen Dyn. bead; blue, blk. swirls CMG,U,1. 0 *Pb-2339 bead (blue)

63R2-91 llan Dyn.; 10 blue beads 110] CMG,U *Pb-2342-51• 57711 Han Dyn. cup, notched ridge 1101 Shor., I. *Pb-2330 (accretion) •

- Anal. by Shi 141 S[1i 0 *Pb-2014-19 various objects

- Anal. by Twilley [5[ l.eep. + *Pb-2360-66, 15th c. c1ais. enJmels

Japan Japan

20R Blue cup, 1688-1703 [61 CMG,U *Pb-2390* 6195-99 Beads, 3rd -8th c.; vJrious sites CMG,U

Korea Korea

6'15(\-89 series 27 glasses, mostly beads, I.ee, F, U 0 *Pb-2300 series vilrious sites, 1st c. B.C.-7th c. AD[7[

61911-94 lJeads, Kampi, c. 100 B.C CMG,U 0 *Pb-2304,05

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia

2880-99 series S. Sumatra, 8-9th c., Beads, Man., U P vessel frags' f waste.

2926-28 series Sumatra, 12-14th C., Kota Cina; McK., U <:) *Pb-2076-78 bangles, beads; 2%2,64 Matangkuli, 15th c., vessels 12[ <:) *Pb-2079 YO pontiI on bowl

6565-69 series Kalimantan, 1st mille. McK., U <> *Pb-2500-04

6555-63 N. Sumatra, 10-14th c. McK., U P

6570-85 S. Sumatra, 14-16th c. McK., L P

65RR S. Sumatra, 6-7th c. McK., l. P

6520-22,26 W. Java, 4 beads, 1-6th c. McK., l. <> 6540-43 Bali,4 beads, prel protohistoric McK., l. <> 6475-77 Vietnam, Thi Xi, 1st c., Ben., l. x *Pb-3437, 40, 41

3 beads in bronze Jru m

6450-59 & Vietnam, Lac Xmm Ben., L, U x *Pb-3434-36, 38, 39 6485-95 series 16/17th c.]8 beads

6400 series Vietnam, various sites; Ben., U x *Pb-3430-33 32 glasses, mostly beads. OcEo, date unrecorded

194]-43 Ban Chieng, undated, 3 beads [8] CMG,U T

2986-93 Ban Don T a Phet, Basa, U T

4th c. B.C, 8 beads 18[

India India

63]2, ]3 Arikamedu, ] st c., YO glass Stern, U 6, *Pb-2290,9] + 20 others [10]

F = Philip Fenn Basa =K. Basa & I. Glover Man. = Pierre-Yves Manguin L =David I,ange Ben. = Dezso Benedek McK. =E. E. McKinnon U = Umpire & Control CMG = Corning Museum Shi =Shi Meiguang * same samples as at left Lee = I n-Sook Lee Shor. = W. H. Shorenstein [ I = See rd. in notes l.eep. = Arthur 1.eeper Stern = E. M. Stern

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Table 2. COMPOSITIONAL FAMILIES OF ASIAN GLASSES

Familv High-Lead Glasses

PbO:BaO:SiO, PbO:5iO,(PbO=70% )

Soda-Lime Glasses

Na,O:CaO:SiO, "Natron-Iike" ••

Plant ash soda *** High alumina/low lime

Potash Glasses

K,O:5iO, K,O:CaO:Si02

K,O:CaO:SiO,

Mixed Alkali Glasses

(Na,O,K,O):CaO:5iO, Hi AhO,/mod. CaO Hi CaO **** Mod. CaO ••••

Later Asian Glasses

K20:PbO:5i02 Na,O:CaO:Si02+PbO

Dates

6th c. B.C-3rd c. 2nd c. B.C-7th c.

6th c. ff. 6th c. ff. 2nd c. B.C-9th c.

2nd c. B.C-4th c. 4th c. B. C ff

2nd c. B.C-2nd c. 4th, 7th, 16/17 c. 16/17th c.

12th c.-20th c. 6th c.-19th c.

Locations & Numbers

C,J,K C,J,K

A(2), C(1), C(2), J(1), K(l), Jv(l), BI(l), 5(1), V (2) J(1), K(2), 5(27),5(9), V(3) A(10), 1(27), K(2), 5(12), Jv(3), BI(3), V(14)

C(11), J(2), K(6), A(9), B(3), V(6), KI(2) BD(8), <::(3), C(3), 5(1)

Western Mediaeval (very common)

1 C(1), J(1), V(10) V(12),5(1)

C(4), V(3), 5(1) C

Remarks & References

-30 Both types unknown among ancient "Western" 4 glasses' [1,4,5]

12 K,O, MgO" 1.5% 42 K20, MgO " 2.0% 71 AhO, " 4%; CaO" 4%, TiO, " 0.4%.

Rare in "West"

39 Very rare in "West" 15 MgO often < 1 %

MgO - 3-7%; CaO often" 15%

Both Na20 & K20 >- 5%

9 AJ,O, " 4%; Ti02 - 0.4% 12 - 14% CaO; some hi AJ,OJ 13 - 3% CaO; some hi PbO,As,Os

In West: Iron Age (occasional); Mediaeval (manyl

8 2 One may be Tang Dyn.; other 19th c.

Key to locations: Bold-face = pre-10th c.; regular type generally post-10th c. • Exceptions: Certain Islamic emerald grn. glasses A = Arikamedu B ~ oan Chi eng BD = Ban Don Ta Phet III = Bali

C= China K = Korea and Russian/E. European beads are PbO:SiO, I = Other India KI = Kalimantan glasses. j = japan 5 = Sumatra •• Some probably "Western" imports. jv = java V = Vietnam *** Most are "Western" imports.

····16/17th c. may be European,imports.



25

0 ASIAN GLASSES Beij05.C Beij05.u

20 Beij05.J Beij05. T

0 6 x Beij05./( Beij05. I

K20:SI02 Beij05.S Beij05. SP

(n=I82)

"* 15 f1 I xed !I I k a I I

(\j x 0 x

Xx T

~ T f:>. x x x;--.: x

10 x x HI f.'Ilumina xxx

x 8 .. Soda -L i mesx x x

x x

5 x

6

60

0 0 5 10 15 20 25

Figure 1 % Na20liE

15

{:,. ASIAN GLASSES 0 Beij28.C Beij28.SP x Beij28.J Beij28.UOP

Beij28. /( Beij28. T Beij28.S Beij28. I

10 x

(Y) RecTangle = Hi f.'Ilumina"* o EI I Ipse = K2D:SiD2(\J

<I

5 xo

x 0 o{:,. P '"

{:,. o{:,. 0 '" x {:,.~ P P{:,.oO pP P P

>/i'P P

[;0 0

o 1<;t~ "pp~PP Px x x xT ~~ X X X?TT x T " xx xo~__~~__~__~_x_'~x__~~__~__~__~__L-~__-L__~~

(} 5 10 15 Figure 2 % CoO*

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'Chemical Analyses of Some Asian Glasses.' - Corning Museum of … · 2012-02-19 · I'WO . of...

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