Ancient Roman Yellow Jar

$758.23

A translucent yellow Roman glass jar of medium thickness featuring a bulbous body leading to a short neck which opens out to form a rounded flange with a funnel-shaped mouth. The vessel sits on a concave base. There is widespread iridescence across the whole vessel and some natural encrustation.

Date: Circa 2nd – 4th century AD
Condition: Good condition.

In stock

SKU: MG-11 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 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 and Ancient Roman Glass.

Weight 40.1 g
Dimensions W 6 x H 10 cm
Culture

Region

Glass

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