There are a number of relatively famous examples of ancient artefacts which were created using nanocomposites. The Lycurgus cup, for example, is a stunning decorative Roman treasure from about AD400; it is made of a glass that changes colour when light is shone through it. The glass contains gold-silver alloyed nanoparticles, which are distributed in such a way to make the glass look green in reflected light but, when light passes through the cup, it reveals a brilliant red.
The history of nanoparticle research is long and the use of these particles dates back to the 9th century in Mesopotamia when artisans used these to generate a glittering effect on the surface of pots.This lustre or glitter over pottery from the Middle Ages and Renaissance is due to a metallic film that was applied to the transparent surface of a glazing. The lustre can still be visible if the film has resisted atmospheric oxidation and other weathering. The lustre is within the film itself which contained silver and copper nanoparticles dispersed homogeneously in the glassy matrix of the ceramic glaze. Artisans created the nanoparticles by adding copper and silver salts and oxides together with vinegar, ochre and clay, on the surface of previously-glazed pottery. Then the pots were placed into a kiln and heated to about 600 °C in a reducing atmosphere. With the heat the glaze would soften, causing the copper and silver ions to migrate into the outer layers of the glaze. Michael Faraday provided the first description, in scientific terms, of the optical properties of nanometer-scale metals in his 1857 paper.