In ancient times, glass was a rare and coveted commodity. It was valued as much as precious stones, for it's color, rarity and for the skill which was necessary to produce it. In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, glass was used to imitate some of the most precious stones of the day ........turquoise, lapis and agate to name a few. The reason I am writing about the fascinating topic of glass history is because when I took this bead out of the kiln, I was delighted with the mottled colors and stone-like effect I was able to achieve. Once I etched this bead it had the soft weathered feel of something older, something precious......and I wondered that even though our advances in glass seem so astounding, why often the biggest thrill can come from such a simple achievement.