Back when Israel was subject to Roman rule, glass – so common today – was a luxury item reserved for the wealthiest in an elite society. The ultimate status symbol, it showed you could afford something expensive to produce and difficult to maintain.
With the fall of the empire, much of the glass in Israel was left behind and fell into disrepair. Over time, the forgotten glass became buried beneath thick layers of mineral-rich earth, where it lay for hundreds of years.
Almost 2000 years later, excavation work began across the modern State of Israel to uncover and learn about the rich past of the Jews’ ancestral homeland. Pieces of delicately colored glass were discovered, and their unusual sparkle prompted new research into their rare coloring.
Scientists eventually concluded that the unique combination of minerals present in Israel’s fertile soil, combined with its temperate Mediterranean climate and relatively low rainfall created the perfect conditions for Roman Glass to form. Over centuries, minerals from the soil surrounding the glass absorbed into the fragile shards, developing a stunning, multicolored patina.
Roman Glass ranges in color from iridescent hues of blues and greens to shimmering purples and yellows and sparkling flecks of pink and orange. No two fragments of this ancient material are completely alike, so your gorgeous piece of Roman Glass jewelry is completely unique to you!