Title from title frame.
Following the film is a brief presentation by Robert Brill on the possible effects of the civil war in Afghanistan and the Soviet invasion on the city of Herat with this glassmaking factory.
Narration written by, Robert H. Brill, Research Scientist, The Corning Museum of Glass ; director of photography, Elliott Erwitt ; sound, Larry Provost ; expedition members, Robert H. Brill, Frederick R. Matson, Latif Abdul Majoob, Abdul Satar Popal.
Glassmakers, Saifullah, Saidulla ; ending presentation, Robert H. Brill.
Filmed in Herat, Afghanistan, in the fall of 1977.
In 1968, a one room working glass factory with a mud-brick furnace was discovered in Western Afghanistan. This factory is owned by cousins, Saifullah and Saidullah. Glassmaking has been a family tradition for over 200 years, and continues to be done in the same manner as described in seventh-century Assyrian cuneiform tablets. This method uses white quartz stones and ishgar (plant ash), which are combined in a wood-burning furnace to produce hand-blown glass. In the fall of 1977, Robert H. Brill, Frederick R. Matson, Latif Abdul Majoob, and Abdul Satar Popal led an expedition to Herat to witness the glassmaking activities.
Also available as streaming video file.
Video tape.
VHS.
DVD.
Electronic resource.
digitized Sax Communications
The original film was restored by Sax Communications June 2009. A digital copy of the restored version has been given to the Digital Asset Manager to replace the previously received digital copy; CMGL copies 6 and 16 are restored copies.
Jan. 2002: 5 16mm copies of this are in library freezer; 1" master videotape received from Sax Communications.
Received an additional 16mm copy from CMOG Education Dept. with CMOG mailing label addressed to Mr. Rudy Rodrigues of Alberta Canada.
