Glass is a material that can be considered as the first man-made polymer. Although relatively hard to make, the earliest glass was already in use several thousands of years BC, e.g. in Egypt and other near-Eastern localities of advanced cultural development. During its long and complex history, the technology, the composition and also the physico-chemical properties of glass and its possible uses in various societies have been subject to considerable evolution. The key to reading the rich history of the technology of glass-making, glass-colouring and glass-shaping throughout the ages is the determination of the chemical composition of historic glass fragments, which are encountered in archaeological excavations.

Modern Methods for Analysing Archaeological and Historical Glass is a comprehensive two-volume set bringing together an overview of modern analytical techniques for glass analysis.

• Provides an up-to-date description of the physico-chemical methods suitable for determining the composition of glass and for speciation of components within it
• Includes numerous case studies to show the effective value of these methods on analysing glasses from all continents and cultures

With contributions from well-known and respected scientists and scholars in the field, this comprehensive text is pertinent to those working on analytical methods relating to conservation in academia as well as museum curators, archaeologists, etc. It is also beneficial to students – both graduate and doctoral level who are using analytical methodology in the study of archaeological and cultural antiquities.