The History of Glass Bottles

Artisans use mineral compounds to add color to glass.

Glass forms when heat applied to sand causes the component silica to melt and become malleable. Humans first used naturally formed glass to build Stone Age weapons and tools, and later learned to form it into beads and, eventually, containers.

Molded Glass

Ancient Phoenicians began creating the first glass bottles around 700 B.C. by wrapping strands of glass around clay molds. Since the finished bottles were full of clay, crafters then had to scrape them clean before use.

Blown Glass

By 100 B.C. the Phoenicians had developed glass blowing, a technique using air blown through a metal pipe. Thanks to this new, cheaper technique, glass production became common among the Romans, who shipped their products as far away as China.

Mass Production

For thousands of years glass blowing remained the sole method for forming bottles, but in 1904 Michael J. Owens patented the first automatic bottle machine in Toledo, Ohio. His invention made glass far more accessible to bottlers and revolutionized the beer and soft drink industries.

References

• Kidipede: Ancient Glass
• Ohio History Central: Automatic Glass-Bottle Machine
• Society for Historical Archaeology: Bottle/Glass Colors

Resources

• Society for Historical Archaeology: Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website