Passed down through generations, the glassblowers of Herat continue to preserve this rare and fading craft. Each piece begins with discarded glass and collected bottles gathered throughout the city, melted inside a traditional wood-fired furnace until molten. At precisely the right moment, the glass is drawn from the annealer and shaped entirely by hand, using techniques refined over centuries. Color is achieved naturally through mineral powders — copper for greens and blues, iron for warmer amber tones — added directly into the melt. Made slowly and with intention, each vessel carries forward one of Afghanistan’s oldest living craft traditions.
