A Study On Glass Vessels Excavated In China From The 10th To The 12th Century

The 10 th to the 12 th century in China represents a period of great political,economic,social change,and separation of political power in Chinese history.Many glass vessels are excavated during this time and embody different characteristics.This paper first combs the emergence and development of glassmaking,which helps to form an overview that could give a hand to better acknowledge glass vessels from the 10 th to the 12 th century.The second part introduces glass vessels unearthed in China from the 10 th to the 12 th century.These glass vessels show the coexistence of unity and diversity and were catalogued into two types of excavations----temples and tombs.The third part analyzes the glass vessels unearthed from Buddhist temple and pagoda sites,many of which are made in China by studying shapes and chemical compositions.This not only reflects the manufacturing technology of Chinese glass vessels,but also reflects the trend of Buddhism secularization and the status of glassware in Buddhism worship practice.The fourth part discusses glass vessels unearthed from tombs.These glass vessels possess various shapes and are exquisitely made,most of which were unearthed in the tombs of the royal nobles in the ruling area of the Liao Dynasty.There are few such glass vessels unearthed in tombs in the Song Dynasty.These masterpieces and rarities in Liao tombs represent an appreciation and admiration of exquisite glass vessels,but also material evidence to the cultural exchanges between Liao and other nations along the Silk Road.Whileas during the Song dynasty,people possess a much clearer knowledge of glassmaking,which reduce the value of glass products and renders it still in the replacement position of precious materials products,making it hard to break through its traditional category as utensils.From the perspective of the development of glassmaking,the 10 th to 12 th century embodies the dawn of glassware to enter another golden age.Due to the difference of glassmaking technology and social status of glassware at home and abroad,China and the West are committed to explioting the potential and functions respectively,which induce two different ways afterwards.