Abstract:

Excavation studies have been carried out in Aigai ancient city since 2004. In the course of studies held within the scope of Byzantine archaeology up to 2014, a group of glass objects including jewellery and accessories were recorded. Approximately fifty glass bracelets appointed as Byzantine period are published in our study for the first time. Those bracelets coloured in black, olive green, red, white are simply decorated with spiral wounds, helixes, flattened spun glass wraps; an example of geometric motif decoration in painting technique is also available. Despite the fact that no whole bracelets are available, the examples we inspected are classified in terms of section and decoration. The most common are spiral wounds, meaning bracelets enwrapped with spun glass and dated to 12th-13th centuries. Regarding glass production in general, the existence of temporary ateliers is assumed as a strong factor of common qualities within regional and Asia Minor products regarding section, decoration technique and application. Northern neighbouring city of Aigai, Pergamon’s location chronology regarding local glass production indicates that new glass ateliers have been established during 12th – 13th centuries. In Aigai excavations, glass pots and production leftovers preserved from Roman excavations which point glass production give rise to the thought of maintaining the tradition or roaming of temporary ateliers. With a typological evaluation, by their colour and section definitions and when compared to some samples of the close area, Aigai glass bracelets seem to be in an interval of 12th – 13th centuries.

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