Glass – from antiquity to the digital revolution

11/02/2025

Glass, a material we are all so familiar with, looks back on a history as old as civilization itself – spanning from the first glass beads to the ultra-modern displays of our smartphones – glass has proven to be a versatile and indispensable material over the course of millennia.

Glass – from antiquity to the digital revolution

The origins

The beginnings of glass manufacturing can be traced back to the 3rd century BC and are closely linked to the development of ceramics. Glass is assumed to be an accidental by-product of glaze making. The oldest known glass objects are little glass beads found in Egypt and Mesopotamia. These were often used as jewellery or as a trading commodity.

Antiquity

The art of glassmaking gradually spread to Greece and Rome where it was then developed further. In the first century BC glass blowing was developed in the Middle East – a technology which also made it possible to manufacture more complex shapes. The Romans proved particularly gifted glass blowers producing a wide variety of objects such as containers, jewellery and even the first windowpanes. They disseminated glass production in their provinces.

Murano glass

Working with glass underwent a quantum leap under the aegis of Venice in the late Middle Ages. 1291 saw glass production relocate to the offshore island of Murano for safety reasons, to protect Venice’s main island from fire. Murano quickly grew into a renowned centre for glass – famous for its unique and high-quality glass products. Murano’s glass blowers developed numerous techniques revolutionising the glass industry. These included the production of crystal-clear glass, the invention of tinted glass, enamelled glass and the art of filigree Murano glass beads. These innovations made Murano glass a coveted luxury item throughout Europe.

Ecclesiastical architecture

Although already known to the Romans, window glass only began its triumphal march in the 12th century. With the rise of Gothic architecture, the demand for glass panes increased enormously. As a result, crown glass – also referred to as bull’s eye glass – was developed and established itself for use in windows.

17th century

Rolled glass was then developed – a process making it possible to produce windowpanes of uniform thickness for the first time.

18th century

The development of chopped glass heralded in the possibility of grinding and cutting glass – giving glass completely new design options. Glass grinding also made it possible to come up with novel optical glass.

Industrialisation

With the advent of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, glass production changed fundamentally. New machines and technologies enabled the mass production of glass, making it more accessible and versatile. Window glass, bottles and other containers could now be produced at low cost, substantially boosting demand for glass products. Glass became an everyday material used in many areas of life.

Glass in the 20th century

The 20th century brought further innovations in glass production. Proving a significant step forward was the invention of special glass such as borosilicate glass, which is resistant to both heat and chemicals and used in lab and kitchen utensils. Shatterproof glass led to new developments in the automotive industry – but above all, the new safety glass changed architecture and the construction industry. Large, glazed façades were now possible, revolutionising the appearance of buildings.

Glass in the digital age

Today, glass is indispensable to the digital world. Without glass there would be no smartphones, computer monitors, flat screens or fibre optics. Fibre optic cables enable us to transmit large data volumes at the speed of light and form the backbone of the Internet. Technical applications – already part and parcel of our everyday lives and now set to undergo further development in future – can only do so thanks to the constant further developments in glass technology:

Displays: Glass is the most important component in displays of all types. Through continuous research, displays are becoming ever thinner, more flexible and energy efficient.
Optical sensors: Glass is used in a wide variety of optical sensors deployed in smartphones, cameras and self-driving cars.
Architecture: Glass façades give buildings a modern look and make for energy-efficient construction.
Biomedicine: In medicine glass is used for the production of implants, laboratory glass and optical instruments.

The history of glass is a story of innovation and adaptation. From the first glass beads to the latest smartphone displays – glass has proven its worth as a material that helps shaping the future.