Vibrant Green Roman Cylindrical Glass

$631.48

A vibrant Roman green glass in cylindrical form, with a beautiful hourglass pattern in raised glass. It has a cylindrical body, resting on a neatly flattened base, a tall neck opening into a large and flat rim. The surface presents stunning iridescence with cool tones of pink, purple, green, and blue. Iridescence is often used to date the glass, as it is a consequence of the natural ageing process. Such striking green colouring results from the careful addition of other products to the molten mixture: adding copper produced blue, green, and red; manganese produced pink and red; cobalt a deep blue; calcium white; and lead brought a yellow tint.a tall neck and a cylindrical body

Date: 4th - 5th Century AD
Condition: Very fine condition.

In stock

SKU: EH-023 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.

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.

Weight 106.4 g
Dimensions W 6.5 x H 10 cm
Region

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