Department of Classics and Archaeology

The Byzantine mosaic glass tesserae project


 

Professor Julian Henderson (Nottingham), Dr. Andreescu-Treadgold (University of St Louis), Dr Marlia Mango (University of Oxford), Leverhulme funded network

Funded by: Delmas Foundation, New York

 

Summary

This project involves the scientific characterisation of mosaic glass tesserae from Hagia Sophia, (Turkey), Torcello (Italy), Ravenna (Italy) and Turin (Italy). It forms the basis for the first comprehensive investigation of where and how the glasses were manufactured.

 

Image

The stunning west wall of the basilica of St Maria Assunta, on the island of Torcello, covered in a mosaic made up of glass tesserae. It dates to the 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th centuries.

 

Publications

C. Boschetti, J. Henderson and J. Evans, 2017, 'Mosaic tesserae from Italy and the production of Mediterranean coloured glass (4th century BCE–4th century CE). Part II: Isotopic provenance', Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 11, 647-657

C. Boschetti, J. Henderson and J. Evans, 2017, 'Mosaic tesserae from Italy and the production of Mediterranean coloured glass (4th century BCE–4th century CE). Part I: chemical composition and technology', Journal of Archaeological Science Reports. 7, 303-311

J. Henderson, 'The technological and scientific analysis of Byzantine and late second millennium AD glass tesserae from S. Michele in Africisco, Ravenna and some suggested production models (in Italian)', in ed. C. Spadoni and L. Kniffitz, San Michele in Africisco e l'età giustinianea a Ravenna, Milan: Silvana, 2007, 325-335.

Andreesu-Treadgold, I. and J. Henderson, 'Glass from the mosaics in the west wall of Torcello's Basilica', Arte Medievale, January 2007, V(2):87-141, 

Andreescu-Treadgold, I. and J. Henderson, 'The glass mosaic at Torcello: new interpretations of production and distribution based on the chemical analysis of glass mosaic tesserae', in M. Mango The Byzantine World, 2007.

J. Henderson, 'The chemical analysis of glass tesserae from the third register of the West Wall of the Church at Torcello', Atti del IX Colloquio dell'Associazione Italiana per lo Studio e la Conservazione del Mosaico, Aiosta 20-22 February 2003, Ravenna, 665-675. 

 

 

Department of Classics and Archaeology

University of Nottingham
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Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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