History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s3.t2.3

v1.c20.s3.t2.3

The glass specimens show that the glass makers of ancient India were highly competent in giving different colours and shades to glass objects. Chemical analysis has revealed that the colouring agents were obtained generally from the metallic ores. Different chemicals added to them finally led to attribute different shades of colours and glazes to the glass objects. Coloured glass was prepared by mixing silicates of soda, lime and appropriate metallic oxides (Jaggi, I p.203). Copper oxide, iron oxide, manganese oxides were generally used to give colours to the glass articles. Different coloured glass beads of the early centuries with yellow matrix covered with green glass were discovered in Nasik, Kolhapur, and some other parts in South India and these are said to be of Satavahana period. A special type of glass beads of 350 A.D. to 750 A.D. found at Ahicchatra is of gold foil glass. Layers of gold foils were poured in between two glass layers. All these prove that craftsmen in ancient India were highly skilful in the sophisticated technique of using metallic ores and chemicals as pigments in colouring very high temperature melting media like glass.