Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

ANALYSES - GLASS - Edit MESTER - István SZABÓ: Research of medieval glass vessels and glasshauses in Visegrád and Diósjenő

Edit MESTER * - István SZABÓ RESEARCH OF MEDIEVAL GLASS VESSELS AND GLASSHOUSES IN VISEGRÁD AND DIÓSJENŐ *

'Museum of Mátyás Király, Visegrád, Hungary, 2025) ** University of'Veszprém, Veszprém, Hungary, 8200) Abstract: Medieval glass finds from Visegrád were determined and reconstructed by the help of a computer software developed for this special purpose. A sharp duality of quality and form may be observed on these glass vessels. During the second half of the 14th, and the first half of the 15th century, the high quality imported goods were in majority, and next to these, the more simply designed and poorer quality imitations appeared. From the second half of the 15th century, beside the still existing imports, the completely individually shaped native products prevailed. In the 16

th and the 17

th centuries markets were dominated by these products of continually improving quality. Venetian products were determinant among the imported goods, German, and the Bohemian types of glass seldom occured in Visegrád. Following different examinations, we concluded that the chemical durability of glasses is determined by the ratio of the elementary substances, pollution and the technology of manufacture used at the time of production. Thus, on the basis of different compositions of glass from region, different types of glass and workshops can be reconstructed. From the weathered forms of glass fragments, conclusions could be drawn concerning the circumstances of manufacturing and the reasons for the chemical changes that had taken place in the material. 1. Introduction Due to its prominent geographic position, Visegrád played a significant role in the political and cultural life of Hungarian and Central European medieval history. This flourishing period obviously influenced and determined the artistic character of its buildings such as the royal palace and castle. Visegrád is situated in the central region of the historical territory of Hungary in the proximity of the present day capital, Budapest. It is located in the Danube Bend Gorge where the breaks through the hills. This natural border was an important part of the ancient Roman defence line, the Limes. Later, in the 13th century a monumental hexagonal keep was built on the riverside and a citadel on the top of the hill mounting over the river. Due to these two fortifications, connected by a wall system, Visegrád became a significant fortress of Hungary. The terraced royal palace on the hillside facing the river west of the keep was built in the mid-14th century. Visegrád was the capital of Hungary for a long time and the scene of many important political decisions. This artistic group of buildings represented the cutting edge of European architecture in that age. The royal residence, mostly during the 16th century, fell victim to civil wars and Ottoman Turkish expansion. Archaeological research and the reconstruction of the ruins began in 1870. High quality, imported glassware were marketed mainly by Byzantine, Venetian and later German merchants between the 11

th and the 14

th centuries, because local glass manufacturing was undeveloped. Therefore, the glass vessels and the stained glass windows, which were much valued and expensive, were primarily found in richer towns and royal residences. Technically and artistically Venetian glass making was the best developed and its influence was great on the Hungarian products. Although local production began extensively from the 14th centuiy, the acquisition of high level technology was problematic. Individually shaped glass fragments of poorer quality have been discovered ail over our country, and the technical level of the excavated glasshouses are related to this fact. Numerous documents certify that glasshouses had been founded by Italian glass makers in 9?