Tracing glass production in urban centers along the Silk Roads in the early Islamic period

By the 9th century, the globalized glass trade of the early Islamic period had fragmented into localized production centers along the Silk Roads. Elemental analysis of glass from Merv (Turkmenistan) reveals a shift away from long-distance raw material transport toward decentralized, urban-based manufacturing, producing distinct compositional groups. This transformation challenges the notion of a unified trade system, instead highlighting regional adaptability and diversity in glass production during this pivotal era.

Meek, A., Simpson, S. J., & Schibille, N. (2025). Tracing glass production in urban centers along the Silk Roads in the early Islamic period. iScience, 28(2), 111845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.111845