“玻璃玉，西國寶”（《廣韻》），南越國宮署遺址就出土了這樣一個“西國寶”——玻璃杯。
這隻唐代玻璃杯口徑7.7釐米、高3.8釐米，胎體薄，斂口、平沿、深弧腹、平底，外底部中心內凹。
A glass from Tang Dynasty was unearthed in the Palace Site of the Nanyue Kingdom. The glass, about 7.7 cm in diameter and 3.8 cm high, has a thin body, a narrow mouth, a flat edge, a deep arc belly and a flat bottom, which features the common shape of glass ware in West Aisa.
從器型上看，這種平底玻璃杯是西亞伊斯蘭玻璃器中的常見造型；從化學成分分析，這些玻璃中的納、鈣元素含量較高，與我國古代的鉛鋇玻璃不同，而屬於古代中東地區的鈉鈣玻璃系統，據此推測，這隻玻璃杯是來自西亞的伊斯蘭玻璃。
Also, from the chemical analysis of the glass, archaeologists learned that it contains a lot of sodium and calcium. In ancient times, sodium and calcium glass originated mainly from the Middle East region, while Chinese glass usually had lead and barium. Therefore, it is safe to say that the glass is a product from West Asia.
玻璃的繽紛澄澈映照著聯繫東西的海絲之路，我們透過玻璃的流光彷彿看到遙遠而神秘的伊斯蘭國度，接下來就和小編一起，尋覓這不一樣的“玻璃杯”。
When was the exotic ware introduced to China? How was it brought to China? How glass developed in China? Let’s figure out today!
玻璃，在中國歷史上也被稱為“璧流離”，簡稱“琉璃”，《漢書·西域傳》中已有記載 ：“賓國⋯⋯出珠璣、珊瑚、虎魄、壁琉璃”。
蜻蜓眼琉璃珠，戰國，河南省文物考古研究所藏
“琉璃”一詞原出外語，在我國的古文獻中，所記載的玻璃名稱也尤為繁多，“琉璃”、“玻璃”、“料器”等等，同一時代往往有幾種不同名稱，同一名稱在不同時代所指的又有所不同。
The earliest glass was born in Mesopotamia in 2300 BC, present-day Iraq and Syria. After that, it took locals thousands of years to learn from making small glass ornaments to making glass containers.
世界最早的玻璃誕生在公元前2300年的美索不達米亞，即今天的伊拉克和敘利亞地區，玻璃誕生後，經過上千年的磨鍊才從製作小件的玻璃飾品，發展到製作玻璃容器。
Glass first appeared in China in the early years of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (770-221 BC), and most of the glass ornaments were imported into the central plains of China from the outside world.
羅馬琉璃碗，西漢，廣州橫枝崗西漢墓出土
與西亞的玻璃相比，中國的玻璃出現較晚，春秋戰國初期，玻璃飾才作為貿易品進口到中國的中原地區。戰國中晚期，中國已能製造外觀上與西亞玻璃相似、而材質不同的鉛鋇玻璃。
In mid-and-late Warring States Period, China was able to make lead-barium glass that looked similar to western Asian glass but was made of a different material. Later in Han Dynasty, homemade glass containers also could be found in China. And with the further development of the Silk Road and sea routes at this period, Roman glass even was introduced to China.
漢代玻璃容器已開始生產，且隨著陸上絲綢之路的開通，羅馬玻璃傳入中國。魏晉南北朝時期，來自伊朗高原的薩珊玻璃也陸續輸入中國，其成分、成型工藝等都受羅馬玻璃的影響，在器皿的器形和裝飾上卻有著自己的風格。
玻璃碗，北周，北周李賢墓出土，寧夏回族自治區固原博物館藏
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, sassanian glass from Iranian Plateau was sold to China. Its composition and molding techniques were greatly influenced by Roman glass, but it developed its own style in terms of shape and decoration.
伊斯蘭玻璃在7世紀以後的800年中持續發展，並通絲綢之路傳入中國，在中國發現的伊斯蘭玻璃數量多，有可靠的年代和出土地點，且多是精品，我國已成為產地之外的最重要的伊斯蘭玻璃發現地之一。
Islamic glass had kept developing since the 7th century and was introduced into China through the Silk Road as well. For now, a large number of Islamic glass containers have been found in China, with verifiable dates and excavation sites, and most of them were exquisite products, making China one of the most important places where Islamic glass was discovered outside its producing area.
玻璃瓶，南漢，廣州市文物考古研究院藏
玻璃一直是中西雙方經濟交流的見證，通過絲綢之路，東西方的特色物品得以溝通交換，由西方進口的玻璃器一直是中國上層社會競相追逐的時尚奢侈品，玻璃的傳入豐富了中國古代社會的物質生活。
Glass has always been a key witness to cultural and trade exchanges between China and the West. It not only had promoted the development of China's glass manufacturing industry, but also had had strong influence on Chinese culture and lifestyle.
不僅如此，玻璃也是多元文化融合的體現，外來玻璃通過絲綢之路傳入中國，人們透過玻璃觀察著外面的世界，從模仿到融匯，再進一步進行創新。
中西雙方在審美藝術上相互滲透，在製作工藝上相互吸收，外來的玻璃不僅促進了中國古代玻璃製造業的發展，更是以此為載體對中國文化產生了重要影響。
Source: 南越王宮博物館
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