Roman Pale Green Glass Flask

$695.04

An Ancient Roman flask blown in pale green glass with a globular body, flat base and a long, narrow, cylindrical neck, flaring in a funnel shape towards the folded rim. Traces of iridescence are visible on its body and some earthly encrustations cover the surface.

Date: Circa 1st-4th Century AD
Condition: Very fine, complete and intact. Traces of earthly encrustations on the surface.

SOLD

SKU: CS-305 Category: Tags: ,

Glass was often the preferred material for storing expensive oils, perfumes, and medicines because it was not porous. The small body and mouth of the vessels allowed the user to carefully 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. The new technique allowed craftsmen to use smaller amounts of glass for each vessel and obtain much thinner walls, so enabling the creation of small medicine, incense, and perfume containers in new forms. These 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.

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

Weight 78 g
Dimensions H 17 cm
Culture

Glass

Region

Reference: For a similar item, The Metropolitan Museum, item number 74.51.5778

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