This book provides a comprehensive research on Ancient Indian glass. The contributors include experienced archaeologists of South Asian glass and archaeological chemists with expertise in the chemical analysis of glass, besides, established ethnohistorians and ethnoarchaeologists. It is comprised of five sections, and each section discusses different aspects of glass study: the origin of glass and its evolution, its scientific study and its care, ancient glass in literature and glass ethnography, glass in South Asia and the diffusion of glass in different parts of the world. The topic covered by the different chapters ranges from the development of faience, to the techniques developed for the manufacture of glass beads, glass bangles or glass mirrors at different times in south Asia, a major glass producing region and the regional distribution of key artefacts both within India and outside the region, in Africa, Europe or Southeast Asia. Some chapters also include extended examples of the archaeometry of ancient glasses. It makes an important contribution to archaeological, anthropological and analytical aspects of glass in South Asia. As such, it represents an invaluable resource for students through academic and industry researchers working in archaeological sciences, ancient knowledge system, pyrotechnology, historical archaeology, social archaeology and student of anthropology and history with an interest in glass and the archaeology of South Asia.
"South Asian glass research is effectively connected with the broader academic community focused on archaeological glass research, making it an excellent introductory resource for researchers, especially emerging scholars, interested in South Asian glass research. Moreover, it introduces fresh perspectives and insights, including South Asia's unique glass recipes and products ... . These contributions advance our understanding of ancient glass production, organization and dynamic exchange networks, thereby enriching the field of archaeological glass research with a wealth of new information." (Kuan-Wen Wang, Antiquity, Vol. 97, 2023)
"The editors and authors are to be thanked and congratulated for the production of this well illustrated and comprehensive volume. Not only is there an abundance of new information, the literature covered is vast. It will be an essential reference on South Asian glass for years to come, invaluable to researchers in adjacent areas, and informative for anyone with an interest in archaeological glass. ... This is a great book. I strongly recommend it." (Ian C. Freestone, Asian Perspectives, The Journal of Archaeology and the Pacific, Vol. 62 (2), 2023)
"Ancient Glass of South Asia in an outstanding contribution to the study of glass in general and to the study of early glass beads in particular. ... Congratulations to the organizers of the conference, the editors, and the individual authors for this excellent work that I'm sure will be enjoyed by many readers of Beads. The volume is up-to-date and should be a valuable resource for many years to come." (James W. Lankton, Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers, Vol. 34, 2022)
"The editors and authors are to be thanked and congratulated for the production of this well illustrated and comprehensive volume. Not only is there an abundance of new information, the literature covered is vast. It will be an essential reference on South Asian glass for years to come, invaluable to researchers in adjacent areas, and informative for anyone with an interest in archaeological glass. ... This is a great book. I strongly recommend it." (Ian C. Freestone, Asian Perspectives, The Journal of Archaeology and the Pacific, Vol. 62 (2), 2023)
"Ancient Glass of South Asia in an outstanding contribution to the study of glass in general and to the study of early glass beads in particular. ... Congratulations to the organizers of the conference, the editors, and the individual authors for this excellent work that I'm sure will be enjoyed by many readers of Beads. The volume is up-to-date and should be a valuable resource for many years to come." (James W. Lankton, Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers, Vol. 34, 2022)