Glass Vessel

This glass water vessel dates from the eleventh to the twelfth century and was discovered in the area of ancient Tashkent, historically known as Shash.
In medieval Central Asia, glass was considered a rare and valuable material. Glassware was produced in specialized urban workshops and was primarily used by the wealthy elite.
The vessel is made of thin-walled glass with a deep emerald-green color. This hue was achieved by adding metal oxides–particularly copper–to the molten glass mixture.
Its form is elongated and conical with a narrow neck. Small applied decorative elements appear on the surface. These additions served both an aesthetic purpose and a practical one, helping the user grip the smooth glass more securely.
The vessel was created using the free-blowing technique. The craftsman gathered molten glass on the end of a blowpipe and shaped the object by blowing and rotating it. While the glass remained soft, decorative details were applied. As a result, each piece produced in this way is unique.
Glass vessels of this age rarely survive intact due to their fragility. Finds like this therefore provide valuable insight into the craftsmanship of medieval Tashkent.