Glassmaking technique: Roman mold-blown glass

Narrator: Glass makers use molds to create duplicate vessels such as this pair of glass flasks. The process begins by placing molten glass into a mold. By inflating, the glass takes the shape of the mold. Once removed from the mold, the bottom is flattened and the neck shaped. A pontil is attached to the bottom and the vessel is freed from the blow pipe. The vessel is reheated and further refinements are made to its shape. (silence, showing example)