Ancient Near East, Holy Land, early Byzantine Empire, ca. 6th to 7th century CE. A superb example of a tall Byzantine juglet, mold-blown from translucent glass of an attractive blue-green hue. The delicate vessel features a concave base with a rough pontil scar, a rectangular body with smooth upper corners and a tapered shoulder, a cylindrical neck, a funnel-form rim with an in-folded lip, and a trail handle that arches between the rim and shoulder. All four sides of the body are decorated with intricate mold-formed patterns. Beginning the with panel beneath the handle and moving to the right, the patterns include a vertical tabula ansata with a net pattern; a shrine with a triangular gable and a hanging lamp; a broad netted pattern; and another shrine with a triangular gable and a hanging lamp. Fine layers of silvery and rainbow-hued iridescence have formed across the entire juglet and complements the vessel's soft turquoise color. Size: 2.2" W x 5.625" H (5.6 cm x 14.3 cm)
For a stylistically similar example with a hexagonal body, please see "Glasses of Antiquity." Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York, 2002, fig. 115.
For other examples, please see: Moussaieff collection, p.44; Israel Museum collection, (H) no. 452; Oppenlander collection, no. 500.
Provenance: private Florida, USA collection, purchased at the Archaeological Center auction, Tel Aviv, Israel (January 20, 2010, lot 158); ex-Bineth Gallery of Fine Art, Gershon Bineth collection, Jerusalem, Israel
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#151608
Condition
Professional restoration to handle but it is unobtrusive to the overall presentation. One stable fissure stemming from rim to middle of neck. Minor abrasions to base, body, rim, and handle, with micro-bubbling within glass matrix, light weathering film and encrustations, and minor softening to some pattern-molded details. Pontil mark on underside of base. A pontil scar or mark indicates that a vessel was free-blown, while the absence of such a mark suggests that the work was either mold-blown or that the mark was intentionally smoothed away or wore away over time. Nice earthen deposits as well as fine silver and rainbow iridescence throughout.