1,700-Year-Old 'Roman Glass' Discovered In East China

Xinhua/China.org ^ | 11-20-2005

[blam]

1,700-year-old 'Roman Glass' Discovered in East China

Glass remains over 1,700 years old, possibly imported from ancient Rome, have been discovered in an ancient tomb located in east China's Anhui Province, local cultural relic department said on Sunday.

The tomb was found during the latest road project in Zhulong Village of Dangtu County in Anhui. Archaeologists believed the tomb was built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420).

Covered with white mantlerock, the glass remains seem to have ancient Roman shapes and craftwork.

According to the local cultural relic department, the owner of the tomb was possibly from an eminent family of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Besides the "Roman glass," other rare articles including a gold bracelet, a silver ring, a bronze bowl and porcelain were also discovered in the tomb.

Currently, pieces of the "Roman glass" have been sent to the Anhui-based University of Science and Technology of China for further study and analysis, said the local cultural relic department.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2005)

[Little Ray]

Yup. Certain Roman philosopher types used to complain about silver leaving the city to buy spices like long pepper.

[DoctorMichael]

Probably pirated so the Chinese could make cheap knock-off copies and flood the Roman WalMart stores.

[Designer]

Rome imported silk from China. It would be logical to think that the trade went both ways.

I can picture the trade talks going something like this:

Say, I'll give you this nifty piece of glass for some of that-there silk you got there. (Stifling a grin.)

Meanwhile, (thinking to self; Oohh, oohh, got to have that glass..) Well, o.k., I'll trade. (Trying to keep from laughing out loud at the rube who is getting caterpillar spit.)

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach · · join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Antiquity Journal  & archive  Archaeologica  Archaeology  Archaeology Channel  BAR  Bronze Age Forum  Discover  Dogpile  Eurekalert  Google  LiveScience  Mirabilis.ca  Nat Geographic  PhysOrg  Science Daily  Science News  Texas AM  Yahoo  Excerpt, or Link only?	Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
· History topic · history keyword · archaeology keyword · paleontology keyword · · Science topic · science keyword · Books/Literature topic · pages keyword ·