Ancient glassware travelled the Silk Road: Nondestructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of a fragment of a facet-cut glass vessel collected at Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto, Japan

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science, reports Vol. 20; pp. 362 - 368
• Main Authors: Abe, Yoshinari, Shikaku, Ryuji, Yamamoto, Masakazu, Yagi, Naoto, Nakai, Izumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2018
• Subjects: Ancient Japan; Chemical composition; Sasanian glass; Silk Road trading; X-ray fluorescence analysis; X-ray fluorescence analysis; Chemical composition; Sasanian glass; Silk Road trading; Ancient Japan
• ISSN: 2352-409X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.05.010

In 1964, a fragment of a colorless facet-cut glass vessel was collected at the Kamigamo Shrine, located in Kyoto, which was the capital city of Japan from late 8th century AD through the mid-19th century AD. X-ray fluorescence analytical techniques were applied to this fragment in a nondestructive manner with the aim of scientific provenancing based on its chemical compositional features. It was found that, the chemical composition of the fragment closely matched that of one compositional group in Sasanian glass which was characterized by the use of a pure silica source and magnesia-rich plant ash as the raw materials. Given the discoveries of facet-cut glassware from the region of the Sasanian Empire that are very similar to this fragment, it is concluded that the primary production and possibly subsequent production processes (i.e., secondary production and a facet-cut decoration) of this glass were carried out at the Sasanian glass workshops. This study is the second case of an investigation that has identified a specific provenance of one of the few glass vessels introduced into ancient Japan through the Silk Road. •A facet-cut glass fragment was collected at Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto, the capital city of ancient Japan after 794 AD.•Nondestructive XRF analyses revealed the agreement of chemical composition between the fragment and Sasanian glass.•The glass could be produced during the late Sasanian period and imported to Japan via the Silk Road.