A glass blower creates designs ranging from simple to complex, using molten glass. Glass jars and vases, jewelry, art work, and figurines all may emerge from the end of a narrow tube, the skill and tools of the blower determining the final shape of the glass. The art of glass blowing itself is an old one. It was in practice in the Middle East as early as 20 BC, among the Phoenicians, when creating crude glass vessels sturdy enough to hold liquids was a great accomplishment. As practitioners became more skilled, artisans began experimenting with the creation of finely detailed and delicate blown glass that combined colors and shapes to form what amounted to works of art. Today's glass blowing techniques echo those of the past, with skilled workers using methods of glass creation that have been passed down through the generations.