Glass and its makers in Estonia, c. 1550–1950: an archaeological study

Abstract

Doktoritöös „Glass and its makers in Estonia, c. 1550–1950: an archaeological study“ esitati kirjalike andmete ja arheoloogiliste leidude põhjal Eesti uusaegse klaasitööstuse täiendatud ja parandatud kronoloogia. Tehti kindlaks, et Eestis rajati 1628.–1940. aastani 42 klaasikoda, mille omanikest kolmandik olid omavahel suguluses või abielu kaudu seotud. Klaasikojad kaardistati – paraku selgus, et vaid 6 ajaloolist klaasikoda on kaitse all. Võõrtööjõule tuginenud tööstuse kujunemisest, tööliste rollist ja sidemetest 17.–19. sajandil anti ülevaade läbi rändklaasitööliste ja nende pereliikmete elukaare ning Wentzelli, Hageni ja Runge perekonnaloo. Selgus, et 17.–18. sajandil töötati ühes klaasikojas 1–3 aastat; 19. sajandi jooksul jäid töölised paiksemaks. Kogukonna hoidmises osutusid uuringu põhjal olulisemaks ristivanemlus ning abielud. Klaasikodade arvu järsk tõus 18. sajandi keskpaigas kajastus lisaks suurenenud tööliste hulgale leidudes, mida uuriti uusaegse klaasitarbimise kirjeldamiseks. Kuna kohalik tööstus sai alguse Lääne-Eestis, keskenduti Haapsalu ja Pärnu klaasileidudele, mida võrreldi Tallinna leidudega. Rohekast võsaklaasist tahvel- ja anumaklaas oli kohalike klaasikodade põhitoodanguks ning need moodustasid uuringu põhjal leidudest enamuse, pudelid sealjuures 50% Haapsalu ja 44% Pärnu kõikidest klaasileidudest, kuid vaid 13% Tallinna leidudest. Uuringu käigus kirjeldati kõiki olulisemaid kohalikke ning haruldasemaid imporditud klaasesemeid ja nende kaunistusvõtteid. Märkimisväärse tulemusena avastati, et Eestis tõrjus tahvelklaasi lõikamine retušeerimise välja 17. sajandi jooksul. Töö leidudega võimaldas luua koostöös Eesti Keele Instituudiga eesti keelde ka paar uut sõna – näiteks vaaliklaas ja hallitoonitehnika. Doktoritöö aluseks on autori koostatud kolm mahukat andmekogu klaasikodade, tööliste ja nende pereliikmete ning klaasileidude kohta, mis on toorandmetena vabalt kättesaadavad repositooriumis DataDOI.

In the doctoral thesis ‘Glass and its makers in Estonia, c. 1550–1950: an archaeological study,’ an updated and corrected chronology of the post-medieval glass industry in Estonia was presented based on written data and archaeological finds. It was determined that 42 glassworks were established in Estonia between 1628–1940. A third of the owners were found to be related or connected through marriage. The glassworks were mapped – unfortunately, it transpired that only six historic sites are scheduled monuments. The development of the migrant-led industry, and the role and connections of the workers in the 17th–19th century were studied through life histories of migrant workers and their families, specifically the Wentzell, Hagen, and Runge families. It was discovered that workers stayed at a site for 1–3 years in the 17th–18th centuries but became more settled throughout the 19th century. Based on the study, godparenting and marriages were most important in maintaining the glassworking community. The sharp increase in the number of glassworks in the mid-18th century was reflected by an increase in glass artefacts, which were studied to describe post-medieval glass consumption. Since the local industry was founded in Western Estonia, the focus was on glass from Haapsalu and Pärnu, which were compared with finds from Tallinn. Local glassworks mainly produced flat and vessel glass in green forest glass, and according to the study, they made up most of the finds. Bottles accounted for 50% of all finds for Haapsalu and 44% for Pärnu, but only 13% for Tallinn. The most important local and rarest imported glass and decoration techniques were described in the study. Most notably, it was discovered that in Estonia, grozing was gradually replaced by cutting during the 17th century. Work with the artefacts allowed creating some new words in Estonian in cooperation with the Institute of the Estonian Language – for example, vaaliklaas (linen smoother) and hallitoonitehnika (grisaille). The doctoral thesis is based on three raw datasets compiled by the author on glassworks, workers and their families, and glass finds. The datasets are freely available via the DataDOI repository.