Making Murano Millefiori by Hand in an Artisan Workshop on Murano Island | www.GlassOfVenice.com

Murano Glass Millefiori technique, or "Murrina" as Venetians call it, is one of the oldest and most famous glassmaking techniques, which originated from Murano island. Roman glassmakers were the ones to perfect Millefiori technique they learned from the Egyptiand, creating countless functional and decorative Millefiori pieces, including bowls, plates, medals, commemorative plaques, and jewelry made of Millefiori beads. These Roman Millefiori pieces were rediscovered by Murano Glass masters, who attempted to recover the lost technique. They succeeded in this by the 16th century and started to produce various Millefiori designs, the most common of which were beads. These beads were used as coins to facilitate trade by Venetian merchants, especially with the indigenous people of Africa, where Millefiori beads were used in exchange for rare spices and plants. Later on unfortunately the secret of making Millefiori, known only to a selected few artisans on the highly competitive glassmaking island, was lost again. Millefiori, or Murrina, glass was not recreated again until late 19th century, when Vincenzo Moretti of the now world-famous Moretti glass-making clan by trial and error working long and hard learned how to make high quality Millefiori glass. Now every one of us can buy a fascinating piece of not just Venetian, but world history, crafted by the best Murano artisans. From small and inexpensive Millefiori pendnats to larger pieces such as vases, bowls, sculptures, drinking glasses and cups, Millefiori designs are a testament to the persistency, hard work, exceptional skill and perfect taste of Murano Glass artisans. Millefiori: Watch Venetian Artisans Making Murano Millefiori Pendants. Find these products at http://www.GlassOfVenice.com