A community project led by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has shed new light on three fragments of an Islamic glass vessel that were found in the late 1990s at Caerlaverock Castle, near Dumfries.
They represent the first (and only) example of glass of this kind to be found in Scotland, with the original vessel believed to have been made in modern-day Syria, Iraq, or Egypt in the 12th to 13th century.
This recent initiative, which saw collaboration between visual artists, scientists, and the local community, was able to recreate what the vessel may have once looked like, showing that an Arabic inscription probably wrapped around it, and that it was once decorated with red and gold in addition to the blue and white colours that are still visible today.
Commenting on the project, Dr Lyn Wilson, Head of Programme for Research at HES, said: ‘The purpose of the Eternal Connections project has been to engage with wide-ranging audiences to celebrate our shared cultural heritage.’
