CLAY MOLDS FOR MAKING GLASS VESSELS (after data from the excavations of the medieval production complex on Kyiv Podil District)

Abstract

A unique find of four clay molds for making glass vessels was found during archaeological researches of the site on the Naberezhno-Khreshchatitska str., 21 (Kyiv Podil) in 2007. The excavations both on the street itself and on the bordering areas revealed the existence here of a large handicraft quarter with economic and production objects dated to the 11^th and 12^th centuries. Location of the studied site near the waterway (Dnieper River) was convenient for placing here fire-hazardous productions, such as glass-making workshops.

On the site, remains of the construction of the furnace in the form of large pieces of vitrified clay and fragments of plinth form bricks were fixed. Numerous pieces of glass were found, as well as fragments of glassware, mainly those of bracelets and vessels. Among another finds there were such glass ornaments as beads and rings, and one inset for the ring. Among the ceramic material from the investigated complex, there were four clay molds for forming glass vessels. The molds were of bowl-like form and had a ribbed inner surface, made by hand. It is worthy to note that among the products there were two fragments of glass bottoms with ribbed outer surfaces, which could be made in such molds. Vessels with ribbed walls appear on the territory of Ancient Rus’ from the second half of the 12^th century. Chemical analyzes of glass mass taken from the complex showed that samples could be identified as lead-potassium Ancient Rus’ glass.

Glassware, certain materials (molds for glass vessels, crucibles, pieces of lead), allow to connect the excavated complex with glass-making production.