Part 4/9:
The Evolution of the Wine Glass
As the episode transitions to discussing the evolution of the wine glass itself, it sets the scene by referencing the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, where the first glass vessels appeared. Early designs were clunky and opaque, but the invention of the glass-blowing pipe by the Phoenicians around 200 BC allowed craftsmen to create more refined drinking vessels.
During the Roman era, glass cups began to replace earlier materials such as wood and metal, although a decline in glass-making ensued with the fall of the Roman Empire. Surprisingly, Italy, specifically Venice, continued its glass-making traditions, which excelled leading into the Renaissance period.