Page 151 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
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omprehensive characterisation of the whole blanchum; subtle differences in composition in- the glass from the gnalič wreck 151
assemblage. dicate that different styles of glasses, most nota-
bly vessel glasses, were manufactured at different
What can be concluded from the analysis? centres. The low concentrations of some trace el-
The first conclusion is that the glass from the ements suggest these centres were probably locat-
wreck conforms to a very similar composition ed within Italy. The glass could then have been
(Jackson 2006, 87), no high-quality glasses such transported to the ship for loading at a single lo-
as cristallo were found, and all the other glasses, cation, which may have been Venice. The des-
regardless of whether they are vessels, windows tination of the ship was most probably Con-
or mirrors, are of a composition which matches stantinople, if we take into consideration the
that defined as vitrum blanchum by researchers. above-mentioned results of the latest research in
However, there appear to be different manufac- the Venetian archives.
turing groups within this overall composition,
which is reflected in differences in trace elements Summary
associated with the sands used to manufacture
the glasses (Jackson 2009, 137). The Eastern Adriatic coastline has always been a pop-
ular route for ships. Its advantages are the favourable
In some cases, these compositional groups current and the possibility of offering shelter during in-
can be linked to different stylistic groups, indic- clement weather. Unfortunately, some of the ships en-
ative of different manufacturing centres special- countered difficulties before they reached the shelter.
ising in the production of different vessels. The Such was the destiny of the ship that sunk a few miles
mirrors and window glass seem to be manufac- south of the town of Biograd, at the end of the 16th cen-
tured at different centres, even though they re- tury. The ship sank in the vicinity of the rocky islet of
quire very similar glass-working technologies. It Gnalić and bears its name. It is located at the southern
appears that there seems to be some specialisa- entrance to the Pašman channel, known as part of the
tion between different functional types of glass- sailing route since ancient times.
es which is probably related to the location of Amateur divers accidentally discovered the remains of
manufacture. The lion stem goblets show a wide the ship at a depth of 26–27 metres. In 1967 local fisher-
variation in composition, as do the mirrors. men noticed the remains and reported them to the au-
thorities. Soon it was obvious that it was a merchant ship
Compositional evidence indicates that the that had sunk with all its rich cargo.
glasses are all of the same general composition, Only a few months after the discovery, the first under-
but that it is likely these were manufactured at water research actions were organised and up to 1996,
different centres. Are these manufacturing cen- six campaigns were organised to recover portions of the
tres widely dispersed within Italy or do these vessel and its cargo.
compositions reflect different workshops within Shortly after the initial a large part of the diagnostic
a closely defined area? Alternatively, were glass- pieces was exhibited in several locations in the former
es made elsewhere, outside of Italy? The consign- Yugoslavia until the whole collection was deposited in
ment aboard the vessel must have been manu- a specially established museum in Biograd, where they
factured within a constrained time period, one can still be seen today.
which probably did not precede the date of the On the initiative of Smiljan Gluščević, Head of the De-
wreck by more than a year or so, and so the dif- partment for underwater archaeology in the Archaeo-
ferences in composition cannot be linked to dif- logical Museum in Zadar and in cooperation with Mira
ferences over time, giving us an enviable snap- Hanuda Vegar and Gorka Božulić, former directors of
shot of trade in glass at a very specific moment. the Regional Museum in Biograd, the shipwreck and
the cargo of a ship from Gnalić has been included in
Using our understanding of the materi- the international project The Heritage of Serenissima, or-
al at the present time, the compositional analy-
sis of the glass from the Gnalić shipwreck indi-
cates that the glass cargo on board was all vitrum
assemblage. dicate that different styles of glasses, most nota-
bly vessel glasses, were manufactured at different
What can be concluded from the analysis? centres. The low concentrations of some trace el-
The first conclusion is that the glass from the ements suggest these centres were probably locat-
wreck conforms to a very similar composition ed within Italy. The glass could then have been
(Jackson 2006, 87), no high-quality glasses such transported to the ship for loading at a single lo-
as cristallo were found, and all the other glasses, cation, which may have been Venice. The des-
regardless of whether they are vessels, windows tination of the ship was most probably Con-
or mirrors, are of a composition which matches stantinople, if we take into consideration the
that defined as vitrum blanchum by researchers. above-mentioned results of the latest research in
However, there appear to be different manufac- the Venetian archives.
turing groups within this overall composition,
which is reflected in differences in trace elements Summary
associated with the sands used to manufacture
the glasses (Jackson 2009, 137). The Eastern Adriatic coastline has always been a pop-
ular route for ships. Its advantages are the favourable
In some cases, these compositional groups current and the possibility of offering shelter during in-
can be linked to different stylistic groups, indic- clement weather. Unfortunately, some of the ships en-
ative of different manufacturing centres special- countered difficulties before they reached the shelter.
ising in the production of different vessels. The Such was the destiny of the ship that sunk a few miles
mirrors and window glass seem to be manufac- south of the town of Biograd, at the end of the 16th cen-
tured at different centres, even though they re- tury. The ship sank in the vicinity of the rocky islet of
quire very similar glass-working technologies. It Gnalić and bears its name. It is located at the southern
appears that there seems to be some specialisa- entrance to the Pašman channel, known as part of the
tion between different functional types of glass- sailing route since ancient times.
es which is probably related to the location of Amateur divers accidentally discovered the remains of
manufacture. The lion stem goblets show a wide the ship at a depth of 26–27 metres. In 1967 local fisher-
variation in composition, as do the mirrors. men noticed the remains and reported them to the au-
thorities. Soon it was obvious that it was a merchant ship
Compositional evidence indicates that the that had sunk with all its rich cargo.
glasses are all of the same general composition, Only a few months after the discovery, the first under-
but that it is likely these were manufactured at water research actions were organised and up to 1996,
different centres. Are these manufacturing cen- six campaigns were organised to recover portions of the
tres widely dispersed within Italy or do these vessel and its cargo.
compositions reflect different workshops within Shortly after the initial a large part of the diagnostic
a closely defined area? Alternatively, were glass- pieces was exhibited in several locations in the former
es made elsewhere, outside of Italy? The consign- Yugoslavia until the whole collection was deposited in
ment aboard the vessel must have been manu- a specially established museum in Biograd, where they
factured within a constrained time period, one can still be seen today.
which probably did not precede the date of the On the initiative of Smiljan Gluščević, Head of the De-
wreck by more than a year or so, and so the dif- partment for underwater archaeology in the Archaeo-
ferences in composition cannot be linked to dif- logical Museum in Zadar and in cooperation with Mira
ferences over time, giving us an enviable snap- Hanuda Vegar and Gorka Božulić, former directors of
shot of trade in glass at a very specific moment. the Regional Museum in Biograd, the shipwreck and
the cargo of a ship from Gnalić has been included in
Using our understanding of the materi- the international project The Heritage of Serenissima, or-
al at the present time, the compositional analy-
sis of the glass from the Gnalić shipwreck indi-
cates that the glass cargo on board was all vitrum
