Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Wow! An amazingly preserved very pale green glass translucent jug, mold made, with an applied handle made of repeatedly dripped strands of molten glass and that bends at an acute angle from the center of the neck. Long tendrils of glass flow partly down the shoulder from the handle. The body of the vessel is uniform, with a defined shoulder and a gently concave base. A narrow, cylindrical neck rises from the center of the piece to a flared, thick lip designed to catch liquid and prevent dripping. With a few areas of pale, milky iridescence, especially on the inside of the shoulder, this jug is preserved in amazing condition for its age and fragility. The thinness of the glass and overall weightlessness of the piece will stun you. Size: 4.65" W x 5.75" H (11.8 cm x 14.6 cm)
After the Roman invention of glass blowing in the middle of the 1st century BCE, the glass industry was forever transformed. An industry sprang up throughout the Roman world for producing glass jars, tableware, and larger storage containers, replacing pottery goods. Despite the scale of the production, vessels such as this example show significant variations in the shape and color of the glass, which makes each piece almost unique.
Provenance: ex-Harlan J. Berk, Chicago, IL
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#131247
Condition
In incredible shape, intact, with a lightly encrusted iridescent patina in a few areas.