History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c16.s8: Tools used in fabrication of Glass objects
History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c16.s8
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Tools used in fabrication of Glass objects
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Unfortunately there is very little information on early glass making tools Archaeologists have not been able to lay their hands on glass making tools. However Dobbs (1895) and Halifax (1892) have reported on the pre-industrial glass making tools used by the craftsmen in India. Some of these tools are illustrated in Fig. 11. The tools include various rudimentary types e.g. stirrer, pontil, clay cones. blow pipes, iron shears, tongs, trowel and marver, as follows.
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I. Rods of different shapes & sizes
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(a) *Śikha*: A long iron rod meant for stirring the molten and semi-molten glass.
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(b) *Tokklā*: An iron rod with thick butt and tapering point.
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(c) *Sāreṇḍī*: A straight iron rod used for manipulating blown bubbles of glass.
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(e) *Citarṇa*: An Iron rod used for providing zig-zag shape to bangles by twisting the molten glass.
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(f) *Saragañjana*: A long tapering rod of iron fitted with a wooden handle and it is used for separating bangles in semi- molten state from the clay cone. A smaller and thinner variety of *Saragañjana* was known as *Bandhana*.
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II. *Kalcul, Karculi*: This is an iron ladle used for dishing out molten glass.
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Fig. 11. Glass Making Tools used by Traditional Glass craftsmen. 1. Sargañjana 2. Sarañga 3. Bardhana 4. Kalcul 5. Aṅkari 6. Patha 7. Kalbut 8. Nat 9. Aṅkari 10. Sarendi 11.and 12. Massa 13. Mallah (Courtesy: H.G.Dikshit, 'History of Glass')
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III. *Ankari*: A long iron rod (about 2 feet in length) hooked at one end and fitted with a wooden handle at the other. It was used for stirring of molten glass and dishing it out.
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IV. *Patha, Thapi, Mallah*: It is a dagger or trowel shaped tool, used for pressing and moulding glass in molten state.
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V. *Kalbut*: This is a clay cone, fixed to a wooden handle, It is used for enlarging glass bangles to requisite size.
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VI. *Nal, Phuṅkni*: It is a blow pipe, about 2 feet in length used for blowing glass.
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VII. *Massa*: Iron shears, these were used for shaping objects and separating glass from the blow pipe.
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VIII. *Cimṭā*: Flat iron tongs used for handling broken chips of glass in the furnace.
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IX. *Sīl*: A slab of stone corresponding to marver. It was used for rolling ends of glass on the blow pipe.