Glass production evolved during the Roman Empire with the introduction of glassblowing, which allowed for a great variety of different shapes and styles to be constructed. The technique allowed for easier manipulation of the glass into more intricate designs allowing the vessels to have an assortment of functions. Glassblowing also allowed for a quicker paced production, the hot glass would be blown into a mould and then removed whilst still hot so that the glass maker could still work on it. Different minerals were added to create a variety of colours; a green tint was created by adding copper.
This glass flask, known as a sprinkler flask, is constricted through the inside of the neck to help control the distribution of the liquid it contained. More expensive fluids, such as perfumes, medicines or oils would have been placed in sprinkler flasks so that their use was easily controlled.
To find out more about Roman glass please see our relevant blog post: Ancient Glass and Collecting Roman Glass.
