Manual glass production is now a world heritage site

Glasscraft's Artistic Legacy Freed from Oblivion

Today, manual glass production is given the prestigious title of World Heritage by UNESCO, a title that will aid its conservation throughout generations. The execution of this craft requires time, imagination, and collaboration, as Christoph Wulf, Vice President of the German UNESCO Commission, stated. It boasts a notable artistic prowess.

The art of glassmaking, a nomination from Finland, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany, was voted upon by UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee based in Botswana, Africa. Glass is heated to temperatures surpassing 1000°C and must be molded swiftly due to its viscous nature. To produce hollow glass, artists blow a miniature orb of molten glass using a pipe and then work it into various forms through turning, panning, and the use of traditional instruments.

For the creation of flat glass, the heat-intensive substance is stretched into a roll and further processed. The origins of German, French, and Spanish glassworks can be traced back to pre-Christian times. A finite number of individuals worldwide still preserve and pass on this complex craftsmanship.

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As manual glass production takes center stage in the UNESCO family, countries like Finland, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany join forces to safeguard this ancient technique.

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Revealing the Techniques

As UNESCO's main interest rests in preserving traditional glass-making techniques, here's a glimpse into the intricacies:

1. Raw Material Preparation
2. Mixing: Sand, soda ash, dolomite, limestone, salt cake, and other raw materials are blended in a batch process.
3. Melting the Glass
4. Heating in a Furnace: The raw materials are heated at temperatures approximately 1,500°C, forming molten glass.
5. Forming the Glass
6. Float Glass Process: Tin bath is heated slightly above the glass's melting point. Molten glass floats on this bath, spreading and forming a flat, smooth sheet.
7. Cooling and Annealing
8. Lehr Kiln: The glass sheet is slowly cooled in a lehr kiln to avoid cracking.
9. Cutting and Shaping
10. Processing: Once cooled, machines cut the glass into desired sizes and shapes.

Traditional Glassmaking Techniques

While float glass production is largely industrial, traditional glassmaking technique revolves around more manual steps:

1. Gathering Molten Glass
2. Hand Gathering: Artists gather molten glass using a metal blowpipe and shape it by hand.
3. Shaping and Forming
4. Blowing and Shaping: Molten glass is then blown and shaped into desired forms using various tools.
5. Coloring and Decoration
6. Colorants and Pigments: Artisans use colorants and pigments to create desired colors and designs.
7. Annealing
8. Hand Annealing: Glass is annealed by slowly cooling it in a kiln or by hand to avoid cracking.

UNESCO focuses on traditional glassmaking techniques, highlighting the craftsmanship and skill involved in manual glass production.