Analysis of Molded and Coreformed Glass from 1st Millennium BC Gordion, Anatolia

We report the analysis of glass vessels recovered from 1st millennium BC contexts at the site of Gordion, the ancient capital of the Anatolian Kingdom of Phrygia (in modern day Turkey). The Phrygians (c.8 th -7 th century BC) were renowned for their metalworking skills and produced vessels in a distinctive “Phrygian” style. While no archaeological evidence has yet been found to support local glassmaking, the presence of a highly-developed metalworking industry coupled with the discovery of colorless glass vessels molded in a typical Phrygian shape at Gordion have opened the question of a local glassmaking or glassworking industry within the kingdom [1]. Due to the significant concentration of molded glass vessels found at Assyrian Nimrud, and because of the well-established political interactions between Phrygia and Assyria, von Saldern has suggested that some vessels reached Gordion from Nimrud as diplomatic gifts [2]. EPMA of molded colorless glass vessels from Gordion was used to investigate vessel provenance and manufacturing techniques. In addition to the Phrygian material, molded colorless glass vessel fragments recovered from later Hellenistic (4 th -3 rd c. BC) contexts at Gordion were analyzed to examine changes in glassmaking technology and provenance over time.