Roman Tall Glass Unguentarium

$372.79

A tall, Roman unguentarium flask in pale turquoise glass. The vessel has an everted rim and a long neck, which leads to the globular body. It has a flattened base with a slightly everted centre.

Date: 3rd Century AD
Condition: Very fine condition, complete and intact.

SOLD

SKU: AS-3579 Category: Tag:

Unguentaria were amongst the most common objects of Roman blown glass: produced in large numbers, they were items of every day use for keeping expensive unguents and cosmetic oils. 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. The small body and mouth allowed the user carefully to pour and control the amount of liquid dispensed, and glass was the material of choice for storing the oils because it was not porous. These small glass (or ceramic) bottles are found frequently at Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in cemeteries, and the perfumes which filled them would have been gathered from all corners of the expansive Roman Empire.

 

Weight 145.9 g
Dimensions H 14 cm
Culture

Glass

Region