Roman glass objects have been recovered from domestic, industrial and funerary contexts across the expansive Empire. As in the modern day, glassware in antiquity was considered an art form, where the best pieces were valued higher than wares made from precious metals. The new technique of glass blowing allowed craftsmen to use smaller amounts of glass for each vessel and obtain much thinner walls, enabling the creation of medicine, incense, and perfume containers in new forms. Along with the unique shapes, different components were added to the hot glass to create a variety of colours. Translucent, pale blue and green were common and popular colours, created by adding copper for more intense versions of the colours.
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: Ancient Roman Glass and Collecting Roman Glass.
