The 1291 decree was as much about economics as safety. Venice's glass industry was a critical source of wealth, and confining artisans to Murano allowed the state to tightly control production, monitor exports, and maintain a profitable European monopoly. In return for their isolation, glassmakers received remarkable privileges from the Venetian government, including elevated social standing, the right to carry swords, and the unique allowance for their daughters to marry into noble families wit