We see glass objects every day, and often don’t think much about them. Mass-produced glass has become so cheap we barely think about the things it allows us to do. In fact, glassblowing has a fascinating history dating back to the late first century BCE. Roman experimentation with recycling glass permanently changed everyday life, facilitating a vast expansion of trade and economic activity. And the way glassblowing was done during the Roman era is still very similar to the way we do it today.