Roman Clear Glass Flask

$347.52

A Roman flask made from clear glass with a slight blue tinge. The rolled-over rim of this vessel is slightly angled to the neck, which itself is very slightly angled to the piriform body. The base is flat and gently thickened at the centre.

Date: Circa 1st - 2nd Century AD
Condition: Very fine condition, the glass with a few irregularities in places; minor internal accretions.

SOLD

SKU: AS-3641 Category: Tag:

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. This particular shape is fairly ubiquitous, though the condition and clarity of the glass is quite unusual: an unassuming but lovely piece.

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

Weight 36.3 g
Dimensions H 13 cm
Culture

Region

Glass

Reference: cf. item 224: Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum.

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