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Roman glass Magen David

Roman Glass

A Star of David, made in Israel from ancient Roman glass, has definite in your face value - they destroyed our Temple, we'll create a Magen David with their glass. But the ancient Roman glass used in Israeli jewelry today is also very beautifull.
The Romans were the first to discover the art of glassblowing at the start of the common era. Their glass was used throughout the Roman empire for vessels, oil and perfume bottles, lamps, in short everything from ordinary userglass to exquisite luxury items.

After the fall of the Roman empire many glass objects were buried, remaining intact until their unearthing in later times. Much of this ancient glass is found in archeological digs in Israel, whole or in pieces. And even the ordinary glass has become special due to natural processes.

While in the ground for thousands of years, some of the glass oxidized, resulting in a colorful pigment layer (patina) with a fascinating spectrum of blue, green, purple, red, gold and silver. This ancient glass is an almost perfect counterpart for the high-tech dichroic glass created by Nasa and used in some of our other Jewish jewelry. But Roman glass, found in Israel and dating from the beginning of the common era, is a fascinating reminder of a time with dramatic impact on the history of both christianity and judaism.

Avihu Zur has been designing unique jewelry with Roman glass for over twenty years. His workshop in the north of Israel has become a small artisan factory supplying some of well-known brands with his characteristic designs. Carefully cut, restored and protected, this ancient glass makes every piece unique. His jewelry is a typical example of modern Israeli silversmith work. The silver settings have many traditional elements and sometimes seem to date from the same period as the glass; but the result is invariably a modern jewel with character. New in The Jewish Webshop!