Department of Classics and Archaeology

The maritime silk road glass from Cham island, Vietnam

Project summary

This project will conduct an extensive analysis of glass finds from Cham Island, Vietnam. It is connected to the large ongoing Silk Road project. 

It will be the first comprehensive scientific study of early Islamic glass from Vietnam using electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

An example of a colourless trail decorated glass jar fragment from Cham island, Vietnam
Example of a colourless trail decorated glass jar fragment from Cham island, Vietnam
 
 

Project details

Cham island is located off the east coast of Vietnam. It was a key trading centre on the maritime silk road receiving goods from western and eastern Asia. Excavations under the directorship of Professor Kikuchi have produced a very important collection of 9th century glass and glazed ceramics, some typical products of early Islamic western Asia. There is wide range of glass vessel types and colours; most of the ceramics are turquoise glazed wares.

This cross-disciplinary collaborative project focuses on the chemical analysis of both glass and glazes from the site. The key aim is to define the provenance of the glass and of the glazed ceramics. This is being carried out in collaboration with Dr Beth Steer in the Nottingham University Nano and microscale research centre and Dr Simon Chenery at the British Geological survey near Nottingham.

Recent trace element analysis of Islamic glasses by several international teams including us (Henderson et al 2016) using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry have produced provenances for early Islamic and later glasses across the Islamic world linked by the Silk Roads. This project will be the first comprehensive scientific study of early Islamic glass from Vietnam using electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

 

Project outcomes

The preliminary unpublished results show that:

  1. The glasses derived from several different locations in western Asia
  2. The glasses have been traded across several thousand miles of the terrestrial and maritime Silk Roads  

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

 

Publications

Julian Henderson, Simon Chenery, Edward Faber and Jens Kröger 2016. 'The use of Electron Probe Microanalysis and Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry for the investigation of 8th-14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East', Microchemical Journal, 128, 134-152.

 

Funding

Project funded by Showa Women’s University, Tokyo, Japan

 

Project team

UK

Julian Henderson, University of NottinghamSimon Chenery, British Geological Survey

  • Hongjiao Ma, University of Nottingham and Technology, Beijing

Vietnam

  • Nguyễn Văn Kim, Vietnam National University, Hanoi )
  • Lâm Thị Mỹ Dung, Vietnam National University, Hanoi )
  • Đặng Hồng Sơn, Vietnam National University, Hanoi)
  • Võ Hồng Việt, Researcher,  Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation

Japan

  • Kikuchi Seiichi, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University)　
  • Tanaka Manakor, Showa Women's University
  • Yamagisi Ryouji, Researcher, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University
  • Ohasi Koji, Researcher, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University
  • Yokkaichi Yasuhiro, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University )
  • Tosihara Kayoko, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University )
  • The late Dr. Shindo Yoko, Institute of International Culture, Showa Women's University
 

 

Department of Classics and Archaeology

University of Nottingham
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Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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