Ancient Roman Turquoise Glass Unguentarium

£ 225.00

An ancient Roman unguentarium formed from turquoise glass. It features a piriform-shaped body, with a constriction at the base of the cylindrical neck and an everted, folded rim. The base is flattened and displays a deep pontil mark. Pontil mark is fragmented causing the bottle to lean. The vessel is filled with encrustation to the inside.

Date: Circa 1st - 2nd Century AD
Condition: Fine condition. Some light scratches to the exterior. Beautiful iridescence to the outer surface. Pontil mark broken, causing the vessel to lean. Filled with encrustation.

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SKU: LJ-13 Category: Tags: , ,

Unguentaria were amongst the most common objects of Roman blown glass: produced in large numbers, they were items of every day use for keeping expensive unguents and cosmetic oils. By the 1st century AD, the technique of glass-blowing had revolutionised the art of glass-making, allowing for the production of small medicine, incense, and perfume containers in new forms. The small body and mouth allowed the user carefully to pour and control the amount of liquid dispensed, and glass was the material of choice for storing the oils because it was not porous. These small glass (or ceramic) bottles are found frequently at Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in cemeteries, and the perfumes which filled them would have been gathered from all corners of the expansive Roman Empire.

The iridescence on ancient Roman glass is caused by weathering on its surface. The extent to which a glass object weathers depends mainly on the burial conditions; however, the humidity, heat, and type of soil in which the glass was buried also all affect its preservation.

To find out more about Roman glass please see our relevant blog post: Collecting Roman Glass.

Weight 67.9 g
Dimensions H 12 cm
Culture

Glass

Region

Reference: For Similar: The Metropolitan Museum, New York, item 74.51.5805

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