The prosperous upper classes of Augustan Rome appreciated [gold-band] glass for its stylistic value and apparent opulence

Roman cameo glass was difficult to produce; the creation of a multilayered matrix presented considerable technical challenges, and the carving of the finished glass required a great deal of skill.

Glass was present in nearly every aspect of daily life—from a lady’s morning toilette to a merchant’s afternoon business dealings to the evening cena, or dinner.

In the field of Islamic art, glass is a craft that often rose to excellence but has been largely overlooked by art historians.

Mosaic glass first appeared in Egypt about 1400 B.C. and has been produced intermittently for 3,500 years up to the present day.

The Roman glass industry drew heavily on the skills and techniques that were used in other contemporary crafts such as metalworking, gem cutting, and pottery production.

In Europe, the art of stained glass reached its height between 1150 and 1500, when magnificent windows were created for great cathedrals.

Mellon Curatorial Fellow Matt Saba examines the role of glass in architectural ornaments using objects currently on view in the exhibition Pattern, Color, Light: Architectural Ornament in the Near East (500–1000).

You've probably heard a lot about Google Glass, the mobile wearable technology created by Google that enables users to capture images and video, to receive email, SMS messages, and social media updates, and to find directions or browse the Internet. Although it's arguably the most famous, it's only one of many new mobile devices that has emerged in a field of wearable cameras, smart watches, and wristbands. We can all imagine how to use these devices in our daily lives, but what about inside a museum?

Despite the labor-intensive nature of the process, cast mosaic bowls were extremely popular and foreshadowed the appeal that blown glass was to have in Roman society.