History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c16.1

v1.c16.1

Origin of glass is shrouded in mystery and it is difficult to pin point the exact place and date of its birth. Pliny the elder, attributes the discovery of glass making to the Phoenician merchants of 6th century B.C. who made a chance discovery while cooking meal on the sandy shores of the river Belus near Ptolemias. Lacking stones to support their pots they used lumps of natron, which combined with sand and turned into glass under the impact of heat of the kitchen fire. This legend has wide popularity.