Early Islamic glass in the Western Indian Ocean : a typological and functional analysis of the archaeological assemblages from Kadhima & Mughaira (Kuwait) and Unguja Ukuu (Zanzibar)
This thesis explores the typological attributes and functional role of vessel glass in the Persian Gulf and East Africa during the late 1st millennium AD. The thesis aims to improve understanding of the typological components of the Early Islamic vessel glass tradition; to assess the function of this material in different site contexts; and to exploit glass as a proxy for studying trade and the Indian Ocean âworldâ. The main data for this research consists of two previously unstudied glass assemblages, one from the Zanzibari town of Unguja Ukuu, the other from several related sites in Kuwait. The original contributions made by this thesis can be found in both its methodology and in its results. In addition to introducing a large quantity of new data, this thesis has also designed a new typology for Early Islamic vessel glass. This work has identified a narrow range of types which represent the core components of the Early Islamic glass tradition, as well as challenged the âart historicalâ perspective on the subject. The analysis of function represents the first such study on this scale, and has demonstrated the different roles played by glass in a variety of functional and socio-economic contexts.
Blair, Andrew Craig
Early Islamic glass in the Western Indian Ocean : a typological and functional analysis of the archaeological assemblages from Kadhima & Mughaira (Kuwait) and Unguja Ukuu (Zanzibar). This thesis explores the typological attributes and functional role of vessel glass in the Persian Gulf and East Africa during the late 1st millennium AD. The thesis aims to improve understanding of the typological components of the Early Islamic vessel glass tradition; to assess the function of this material in different site contexts; and to exploit glass as a proxy for studying trade and the Indian Ocean âworldâ. The main data for this research consists of two previously unstudied glass assemblages, one from the Zanzibari town of Unguja Ukuu, the other from several related sites in Kuwait. The original contributions made by this thesis can be found in both its methodology and in its results. In addition to introducing a large quantity of new data, this thesis has also designed a new typology for Early Islamic vessel glass. This work has identified a narrow range of types which represent the core components of the Early Islamic glass tradition, as well as challenged the âart historicalâ perspective on the subject. The analysis of function represents the first such study on this scale, and has demonstrated the different roles played by glass in a variety of functional and socio-economic contexts.
early_islamic glass western_indian_ocean typological functional analysis archaeological_assemblage kuwait zanzibar explores typological attribute functional_role vessel_glass persian gulf east_africa aim_improve typological component early_islamic vessel_glass tradition assess function material different_site context exploit glass proxy study trade indian_ocean world main data_consist previously_unstudied glass assemblage town several relate site kuwait original contribution_make found result addition introduce large_quantity new_data also design new typology early_islamic vessel_glass work identify narrow range type represent core component early_islamic glass tradition well challenged art_historical perspective subject analysis function represent_first study scale demonstrate different role_play glass variety functional socio_economic context