Oliver delves into the world of Glass in the North
For those of you who are not aware, 2022 has been designated the International Year of Glass by the United Nations. This will celebrate the essential role glass has in the world today. As part of a large programme of events exploring glass and its impacts, the Association of the History of Glass organised a two-day conference titled “Glass in the North”. This was to take place at Vindolanda Roman Fort and Museum (21st May) and Jarrow Hall: Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village, and Bede Museum (22nd May). Oliver took it upon himself to attend.The event was a large success and gave Oliver the opportunity to speak to a wide range of glass specialists, including archaeologists, glass material scientists, and historians.
The first day was dedicated to roman glass talks and included a tour of the Vindolanda site and museum. The second day was dedicated to more general historical works, which included case studies from Scotland, the North East of England, and elsewhere, as well as a presentation by the Post-disciplinary and Experimental Glass Group based at Newcastle University. This latter presentation showed the exciting work being done by glass specialists, highlighting “that all researchers studying glass should have experience in its making and working, in order to develop a proper appreciation of its material properties and resist the uncritical development of orthodoxies”. This point resonates largely with our project, as we all look to engage in the physical skills required to perform our respective craft case studies.
The second day ended with Oliver presenting his first academic paper titled “Migration, Mobility, and Glassmaking in the Northeast, 1600-1800”. This paper outlined some of Oliver’s research findings and drew some conclusions as to why glassmakers were attracted to the northeast. The paper was well received and Oliver’s main lesson from the event was to try and gain some hands-on experience in glass making. Keep an eye out for Oliver’s next blog to see how his novice glass making skills develop!
