Indian glass and glasswork stand apart from the world of glass; Indian glass beads have been one of the greatest maritime trade items of all time. Raw materials used for glass production are unique in nature, furnace engineering has evolved from within, and the knowledge system involved for glass by-products has always been ahead of the time and a technological leap. For example, craftsmen use a natural sodic element, ‘reh’ to produce glass without any flux; the last tank furnace is still operational; they invented, innovated and have been passing air through a 3 mm diameter and 10 m long glass since 2500 BP. However, in the recent past, the indigenous glass by-product in the south has fallen, the west has been marginalised to symbolism, and the north is at the brink of extinction.

The presentation will discuss the production cycle, transformation, spread and evolutionary cycles of traditional Indian glass and glass by-products, the reasons for its disintegration, the challenges it faces and put forth a model for its sustainability.