Glass from the Late Bronze Age ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil, Iran

Project summary

The objective of the project is to carry out the first comprehensive scientific study of the collection of decorative glass cylinders discovered at the UNESCO world heritage site of Chogha Zanbil, Iran.

This collection, dating to the Middle Elamite period (last 3rd of the 14th century BC), is one of the most important groups of Late Bronze Age glass found in Iran. 

The site is located 30kms south east of Suza in Khusestan province. The significance of this collection is its early date, the technology used to make the cylinders and the large amount, with 3 boxes in Iranian museums alone.

Project details

The glass cylinders are ‘black’, deeply coloured translucent hues, including blue and brown, with opaque white decoration. The cylinders were used to form herringbone decorative panels on the ziggurat doors. The glass is housed in the Bastan museum, Tehran and the Susa museum, southwestern Iran. The glass was excavated between 1946 and 1962 by the late Roman Ghirshman. 

The objective of the project is to carry out the first comprehensive scientific study of this very important glass. Samples from these cylinders have been chemically analysed using electron probe microanalysis and laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Three samples were also analysed using thermal ion mass spectrometry to determine their strontium and neodymium isotope signatures.

Project aims

1. To define the provenance of the glass, potentially providing the first proof of primary glass production in Late Bronze Age Iran; 

2. To investigate colour specialisation in the glass; 

3. To define the manufacturing technology of the cylinders;  

4. To carry out a comprehensive investigation of the glass deterioration    

Project outcomes

The preliminary unpublished results show that:

1. the glasses have fairly consistent chemical compositions
2. isotope analyses show that the glasses were made in western Asia

Publication of the results is in preparation and will appear in a peer reviewed international journal.