Brief History of Venetian Murano Glass

Until now it was not possible to determine precisely when the Venetian glass industry had its origins. One possible speculation linked its first manifestations to transfer into those islands of the Venetians who had lived in Roman flourishing centers of the Adriatic coast, from Adria to Altino, and that there had learned the techniques of Roman glassworking. 982 goes back to a document signed by a certain Domenico, as attested by the notary, had practiced as "fiolario", ie the production of blown glass cables, particularly bottles, in fact, called "fiole".

The only evidence of the archaic phase of Venetian glass comes from fragments found in 1961-62, along with the remains of a furnace, especially in the excavations carried out in the main square of Torcello and Murano glass fragments recovered from the subsoil (S. Donato) as well as in the waters of the lagoon.

More recently, between 1992 and 1993, excavations in Piazza Malamocco, a small town of Lido, brought to light, along with fragments of pottery dating certainly from the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century, two glasses trunk cone and a long-neck bottle.

The art received a boost during the centuries XII-XIV, from contacts with the East, particularly with Syria, Egypt and the territories of the Roman Empire, following the events of war and trade. Certainly since the last decades of the thirteenth century until around the middle of the fourteenth, is well documented in Murano activity enamelling Glass.

Everyone now knows what was the reason that made the island of Murano the island of glass: the threat of fire danger is not just, as most buildings were wooden. And so in late 1200, by order of the Doge of Venice all glassware were transferred to Murano: the penalty for those who disobeyed, death. It is easy to understand, in addition to security, the aim was to jealously protect the secrets of an art that brought so much wealth and prestige. So much so that those who left the island to settle elsewhere were subject to heavy punishment, including death.