Glass

The origin of glass is uncertain, but there are legends that attempt to provide an answer to the doubts. It is said that Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) placed the discovery of this material in Syria, when some natron merchants, probably en route to Egypt, were preparing their meal beside the River Belus in Phoenicia. When they could not find stones to put their pots on, they put down pieces of the natron they were carrying. The following morning they saw that the stones had melted and that their reaction with the sand had produced a shiny material – vitreum – similar to an artificial stone.