History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c17.s2.t4.4

v1.c17.s2.t4.4

Spectroscopic examination made by Beck (1933) showed that the surface of the beads, thus treated, contained a large quantity of soda, though the interior was free from it. Some reagent must have been used to provide pale blue colour to the beads. Natural quartz is more beautiful when polished than when glazed; therefore, the only purpose of glazing was to provide colour on the molten surface.