Dr. Hilary Becker on “Troubleshooting: Failure and Innovation of Roman Glass and Pigments"

 Monday, April 28, 2025, 5pm

in person, Hearth Room (ASC340), Anderson Student Center, University of St Thomas

As always, this event is free and open to the public, and hosted by our partner, the University of St Thomas Department of Art History

Please see the St. Thomas campus map & Parking info; the Anderson Student Center ramp and the Anderson Parking facility are closest

https://www.allardpierson.nl/blog/documenting-physical-evidence-of-roman-glass-making-processes

Dr. Hilary Becker will discuss “Troubleshooting: Failure and Innovation of Roman Glass and Pigments." In the mid first century B.C., Faberius paid no doubt a large expense to have the walls of his peristyle in Rome painted with the cinnabar (mercury sulfide) but within 30 days his walls had turned black. Vitruvius shared Faberius’ story to help others not make the same costly mistake. Archaeometry, archaeology, ancient sources, and experimental archaeology, used in tandem, make it possible to understand to what extent Roman craftsmen were able to successfully work with their materials and also helps us to recognize where there were problems and to think about the ways Roman craftsmen, more often than not, were able to avoid failure.