as Jcfiown to the Egyptians, 111 



Sometimes, when the specimens were very thin, they applied 

 and cemented them to a small slab of stone of their own size,* 

 which served as a support on the back, and by this means they 

 were enabled to cut them much thinner, and consequently to 

 increase their number. 



Two of the most curious specimens I have seen of this kind 

 of glass, have been brought to England. One is in the posses- 

 sion of my friend Captain Henvey, Il.N., to whose kindness I 

 am indebted for the copy of it, and of the bead before mention- 

 ed. The other was found in Egypt by Dr Hogg. 



The quality and distribution of the colours in Captain Hen- 

 vey's specimen are strikingly beautiful ; the total size is about 

 1^% inch square ; and the ground is of an amethyst hue. In 

 the centre is a device consisting of a yellow circle, surrounded 

 by light blue, with a bright red border, and on the four sides 

 shoot forth light blue rays, edged with white. Around this, 

 which is isolated, runs a square ornament of bright yellow, di- 

 vided into distinct parts, formed by openings in each of the 

 sides, and at the four corners a beautiful device projects like a 

 leaf, formed of a succession of minute lines, green, red, and 

 white, the tw^o last encircling the green nucleus, which meet in 

 a common point towards the base, and terminates in almost 

 imperceptible tenuity. The delicacy of some of the lines, is 

 truly surprising, and not less the accuracy with which the pat- 

 terns are executed ; and the brilliancy of the colours is as re- 

 markable as the harmony maintained in their disposition ; an 

 art then much more studiously attended to, and far better un- 

 derstood than at the present day. 



The secret of making these glass ornam£nts is more readily 

 explained from this specimen than any I ^ave met with. It 

 consists of separate squares, whose original division is readily 

 discovered in a bright light, as well as the manner of adjusting 

 the different parts, and of uniting them in one mass ; and here 

 and there we find that the heat applied to cement the squares 

 has caused the colours to run between them, in consequence of 

 partial fusion from too strong a fire. This fact, and the dis- 

 position of the separate squares, will be better understood from 



* Mr Kogers has a specimen applied in this nutnner. 



