Amber “Alchemy”

Abstract

Amber glass has been produced since at least the 6th century BC. Its value derives from its ability to mimic natural amber and, later, from its ultraviolet filtering properties. Until the 19th century, amber glass was widely used for the storage of food and medicines because its protective properties had been empirically recognized. This study investigates historical methods of amber glass production by using glass recipes from four Portuguese arcana (1793–1975) and focusing on Fe-S and Fe-Mn chromophores. Five recipes were reproduced under controlled laboratory conditions, resulting in 21 experiments. Of these, only 10 produced amber glasses were with different shades. Chemical compositions were analysed by WDXRF, while DSC and dilatometry were used to assess thermal properties. Vickers hardness tests and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy provided insight into mechanical strength and chromophore presence. The study found that FeS amber glass was more difficult to produce than Fe-Mn amber glass, given the complex variables involved in the former, such as SO3 volatility affecting the final product. Reproduction of historical recipes showed that, even without modern chemical knowledge, historical glassmakers developed practical, empirical methods for making amber glass. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of glass conservation and highlight the importance of historical glass recipes for the interpretation and conservation of glass objects.