The glass from the Barco de las Pipas: typological and analytical study of a glass assemblage from a 17th-century Dutch shipwreck off the coast of Dominican Republic

This article presents the typological and chemical analysis of a small glass assemblage recovered from a, likely Dutch, early 17th-century shipwreck known as Barco de las Pipas, found off the coast of the Province of Montecristi, Dominican Republic. All fifteen glass fragments recovered during underwater excavation were typologically characterised, sampled, and analysed using Electron Micro-Probe Analysis (EMPA) for major and minor elements and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for trace elements to determine their provenance. The results of this analysis are compared with existing datasets of 16th- and 17th-century European glass, and their potential raw ingredients and technology are assessed. In addition, arguments are presented to challenge several long-held assumptions concerning glassmaking on the European continent during the seventeenth century, including the poorer quality of some Western European plant ashes, compared to Levantine ones. Finally, the paper highlights the potential of the approach for future studies investigating the nature of transatlantic trade in the Early Modern Period.