The Use Of Window Glass In Italy From Its Origin To The 16Th Century (In Italian)

Until a few decades ago the use of glass in windows was believed to date back to relatively recent pre-industrial times, especially where civil building was concerned. However, recent archaeological studies and the reconsideration of historical sources and iconography, demonstrate that glass was frequently used to this aim, even in Roman and Medieval times. The ancient custom of recycling broken or not used glass accounts for the relatively scarcity of findings, besides a sometimes difficult interpretation of the fragments. An essential contribution is given by iconographic evidence, which is rather scant until the end of the Middle Ages but is abundant in the Renaissance period, when window glass was already widely used.