Leilani Hunter Social Science
What's Glass Got to Do With it: Glass Bracelet Fragments from Tall Dhiban
Leilani’s interest in glass bracelet fragments was sparked during the summer of 2013, when she participated in the Dhiban Archeological field school overseen by Professor Benjamin Porter. While discussing the potential for different artifacts to tell us about everyday life in the region, Leilani was intrigued by the sets of glass bracelet fragments that comprised a significant percentage of the excavated assemblage. Immediately her first questions began to form: Where were these bracelets made, how did they circulate, and come to be in Dhiban? Who wore them, and were they used by one segment of society? How were these bracelets understood within Islamic society? There is very little information regarding the bracelets of this region. Lelani’s preliminary research suggests that glass bracelet manufacturing only occurred elsewhere at this time. Therefore, the bracelets are evidence of trade patterns, and could reveal economic differences. Leilani’s study will shed new light on economic exchange across the Middle East in the Islamic period.
