Crystal clear: Pingcheng period glassware of Northern Wei Dynasty
China DailyGlassware, invented in Mesopotamia and with a history spanning at least 4,000 years, remained a luxury accessible to the few until the invention of glass-blowing. Following the conquest of the Northern Liang Kingdom by Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty in 439, the Oasis Silk Road was reopened having previously been obstructed by warfare. This reopening fostered cultural exchange between the East and West, bringing prosperity to the Northern Wei capital Pingcheng, present-day Datong in North China's Shanxi province. The blue glassware pieces unearthed in Datong mark a departure from earlier local glassware, featuring a soda lime composition and vessel forms similar to those in Pingcheng during the Northern Wei Dynasty. By merging Central Asian craftsmanship with local resources and unique vessel forms, these distinctive Northern Wei glassware pieces from Pingcheng highlight the cultural interactions facilitated by the Silk Road.
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Crystal clear: Pingcheng period glassware of Northern Wei Dynasty
China Daily
Crystal clear: Pingcheng period glassware of Northern Wei Dynasty
China Daily
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