Roman Mould-Blown Glass Sprinkler Flask

£ 300.00

A mould-blown flask in olive coloured glass. It has a globular body and broad neck with folded rim. There are bands of raised herringbone detail to the body.

Date: 1st - 2nd Century AD
Provenance: UK art market, acquired prior to 1980.
Condition: Fine condition with earthy encrustations on the surface.

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SKU: ES-19152 Category: Tags: ,

Flasks like this were designed with a constriction on the inside of the neck. This permitted only a drop of liquid to pass through at a time, hence the term ‘sprinkler’ or ‘dropper’ flask.

Glass was often the preferred material for storing expensive oils, perfumes, and medicines because it was not porous. The small body and mouth allowed the user carefully to pour and control the amount of liquid dispensed. 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. These small glass bottles are found frequently at Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in cemeteries, and the liquids which filled them would have been gathered from all corners of the expansive Roman Empire.

The iridescence on ancient Roman glass was unintentional, and was 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 36 g
Dimensions H 7 cm
Culture

Glass

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Region

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