My name is Daniel. I was an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea, and I am now a writer and scholar who has written a number of books including South Korea: Our Story by Daniel Nardini.

    Some Korean historians have said that the Shiila kingdom had learned the art of making glassware such as vases and cups and artwork. There is no question that beautiful and elegant glassware have been found in a number of Shilla tombs, but these were imports from Europe and Central Asia. Despite claims made by some modern Korean historians, there is no evidence that Shilla artisans ever made glassware.

  There are four main reasons for this. 

   First, if the Shilla did learn the art of glassware making, then we would have some records and traditions on how glassware was made. We have records and information on the techniques of how Korean porcelainware is made from the Shilla to the Goryeo to the Joseon, but nothing on glassware making. 

   Second, we see no more glassware in Goryeo tombs or in archeological digs when Korea lost many of the land routes where glassware was imported from.

   Third, if the Shilla had truly learned the art of glass making, then would not have the Chinese also learned it as well? Since the land routes went through China as well, then the Chinese would have also learned how to make glassware. 

    Finally, we have never found any physical evidence on how glassware could have been made in Korea under the Shilla. It is hard to believe that the great Korean traditions of fine porcelainware making, the making of fine silver and gold artworks, and the making of fine lacquerware--all important traditions in Korea for centuries--could not have included fine glassware making if it was a tradition in Korea. As it is, the tradition of making fine glassware would not come to Korea until the 20th Century.