Glass Beaker Reconstruction, Caerlaverock Castle

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This is a reconstruction of a drinking beaker based off of fragments of glass found at Caerlaverock Castle during archaeological excavations in the 1990s, for the Eternal Connections Project.

The fragments, dating from the 12th or 13th century CE, are decorated with an Arabic inscription which would have wrapped around the circumference of the beaker. The inscription on the largest fragment includes part of the word ‘eternal’, suggesting it could be an extract from the Qur’an. The script in the reconstruction reads ‘Eternal Glory and permanent prosperity’.

The glass may have been made in modern-day Syria, Iraq or Egypt, all centres of Islamic glass making. Scientific analysis has shown there would once have been red and gold decoration as well as the blue and white still visible.

Reconstructed by Alice Martin.