A British scientist has achieved a remarkable breakthrough by recreating the extraordinary colour-changing glass of a 1,600-year-old Roman masterpiece, solving a centuries-old challenge and demonstrating Britain’s world-class expertise in science and engineering.
Dr Lisa Hollands, a specialist at the University of Sheffield, has successfully developed a repeatable method of producing the rare glass used in the famous Lycurgus Cup, an ancient Roman artefact housed in the British Museum.
The achievement means scientists can now reproduce the glass’s extraordinary optical effects in quantity, something that has proved elusive for generations.
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Dating from the fourth century AD, the Lycurgus Cup is celebrated for its almost magical ability to change colour depending on how it is illuminated.
When light reflects from its surface, the glass appears jade green. But when light shines through it, the cup transforms into a striking ruby red.
The artefact is one of only around 40 surviving Roman glass cage cups from the period and is the only known example displaying this particular colour-changing effect.
Its extraordinary craftsmanship earned it recognition as one of the seven glass wonders of the world in 2022.
For centuries, scientists, historians and glassmakers have attempted to understand and reliably reproduce the sophisticated techniques used by its Roman creators.
Now, thanks to British scientific ingenuity, researchers in Sheffield have taken a major step towards unlocking those secrets.
Dr Hollands, who has more than 25 years of experience studying and working with glass, worked alongside Roman glass expert Professor Caroline Jackson to investigate the composition of the ancient material.
Researchers believe the Romans achieved the unusual effect by incorporating tiny quantities of gold and silver into molten glass.
Under carefully controlled conditions, these metals form nanoparticles, extraordinarily small particles that interact with light to produce different colours.
However, reproducing the effect requires much more than simply adding precious metals to glass.
Dr Hollands experimented with different furnace designs, raw materials and oxygen levels, even testing the addition of sugar, before developing a recipe that produced the distinctive green and red colours.
The result was a glass that appeared opaque green in reflected light but glowing red when illuminated from behind.
Speaking about the challenge, Dr Hollands said: “I’ve studied and worked with glass for over 25 years, so I used the knowledge and experience I’ve gained, coupled with a modern scientific understanding of what I was trying to achieve.”
She explained that one of the greatest difficulties had been getting tiny quantities of gold and silver into the correct form within the glass.
The project began when Christina Metcalfe, a project manager at the university, challenged researchers to reproduce the effect for Sheffield’s LightFest in 2025.
Following the initial success, the team commissioned acclaimed British glass artist Elliot Walker, winner of the second series of Netflix’s Blown Away, to create a contemporary sculpture using the newly developed material.
The glass itself was produced in Sheffield, bringing together modern British materials science and traditional artistic craftsmanship.
Walker’s sculpture draws inspiration from the original Roman cup, which depicts the mythical Thracian king Lycurgus entangled in vines, alongside elements of the classical Farnese Atlas sculpture.
The finished work is being exhibited at Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery as part of the University of Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind, running from 6 to 15 November 2026.
It will subsequently go on permanent display at the university’s Turner Museum of Glass.
Walker described the opportunity to work with glass inspired by ancient materials as a rare and exciting experience.
“You can really get an idea of how the glass makers of the past would have adapted to this sort of glass; it’s like shaking their hands,” he said.
While the recreated glass itself is expected to have mainly decorative applications, the scientific understanding gained from the research could have wider implications.
The project forms part of research into advanced materials that interact with light, an area with potential applications in solar energy, quantum technologies and medical diagnostics.
The researchers are also exploring how improved understanding of glass chemistry could contribute to the safe management of radioactive waste, including techniques for incorporating complex nuclear waste materials into glass.
The achievement is another example of Britain’s longstanding contribution to scientific discovery and advanced engineering.
From the Industrial Revolution to modern developments in materials science, Sheffield has a proud history of manufacturing innovation, and the university’s latest achievement continues that tradition.
By combining modern scientific techniques with knowledge of ancient craftsmanship, British researchers have recreated an effect that has fascinated people for more than a millennium and a half.
And with the results now being brought to life through the work of a British glass artist, members of the public have the opportunity to witness the remarkable discovery for themselves.
A 1,600-year-old mystery, a pioneering scientist and a breakthrough made in Sheffield. Another wonderful achievement for British science, innovation and ingenuity.
