Early Modern Nordic Glass Finds as Indicators of Poverty and Plenty

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Poverty And Plenty In The North", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Glass vessels were hardly vital items for people living in the Northern Europe during the early modern era. Everybody could easily live without glass vessels. The old museum collections consisting exclusive items support this picture. However, there is a sharp contrast between the old museum collections and the archaeological record.

The growing number of archaeological glass finds from recent excavations show that in the early modern era glass beakers, goblets and tumblers were part of the material culture among the nobility and wealthy merchants. In addition to that glass vessels seem to have been not so uncommon among poorer towns people or peasants either.

Vessel glass illustrate not only the material culture but drinking habits. Glass vessels were related to the beverages, and different glasses were used for different drinks. Fragments of wine glasses indicate presence of upper classes while shards of beer, schnapps and water glasses one might find almost anywhere.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Poverty And Plenty In The North   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow