Cross-Cultural Exchange in the Post-Medieval Adriatic: An examination of glass artefacts from the 15th through mid-18th centuries

The early-modern Adriatic was a conduit for the exchange of goods, ideas, and people. At the time, this region was divided between three leading economic and political powers: the Republic of Venice, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Roman Empire. It was also filled with a diverse array of peoples of different ethnicities and religions. Nevertheless, these people interacted across these political and cultural boundaries on a daily basis. This thesis will look at how the material culture produced, traded, and used in this region was able to help create and define the identities of individuals and groups. The trade of glass is the specific focus of this research, as it was able to be shaped and manipulated by craftsmen to fulfil the needs and desires of the consumer. This was also a thriving industry in Venice, which led the way in both technology and fashion. Venetian products were traded around the world, and these objects were replicated in factories throughout Europe. The Ottoman Empire was a large market for goods produced both in Venice and in the study area at Dubrovnik. In the past, scholarly attention has generally been concentrated on the direct interactions between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. However, as this study aims to demonstrate, this industry also relied on the participation of intermediaries, both individuals and smaller port cities in the eastern Adriatic. It will therefore examine how and where this glass was made, how it was transported to its final destination, how it was used, and why it might have been chosen over another type of object available to the consumer. In doing so, this work will highlight the active role that this region played within the wider narrative of East-West trade.