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Essays

Vol. 158 No. 2 (2025): Rendiconti. Mathematics and Natural Sciences Class

History of silica glass: chemical and technological aspects

  • Rinaldo Psaro
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/rndoa2025oa21164
Submitted
ottobre 1, 2025
Published
2026-02-17

Abstract

– Glass is one of the most revolutionary materials in history, with an extraordinary impact on the development of society, science and technology. From its discovery to the present day, it has transformed human life in numerous areas. This article tells the story of the discovery and technological development in the ancient era of silica glass. From its origins to the innovation of the blowpipe, an epoch-making breakthrough in glass production, which transformed this material from a rare and expensive to a widely consumed commodity. This innovation, probably developed in the 1st century BC, revolutionised glassmaking and accelerated its spread in the Roman Empire. An extraordinary example of this technological evolution is the Lycurgus Cup, made by Roman glassmakers in the 4th century AD, which represents one of the first ante litteram nanotechnological applications.

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