Glass amphoriskos with horizontal ribs

Unknown

2nd half of 1st century CE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent greenish yellow, with handles in cobalt blue. Tubular rim folded out, over, and in, and flattened into flaring mouth; cylindrical neck, the lower third of which is indented from mold; elongated ovoid body, tapering to pointed bottom; two rod handles attached to upper body in large claw pads, drawn up and turned in, then pressed onto sides of neck. One continuous mold seam around body, extending onto lower part of neck, misaligned on one side. Body decorated with twenty-six concentric, slightly slanting ribs. Intact, except for hole in bottom; few bubbles; slight dulling and faint iridescence on exterior, encrustation and iridescent weathering on interior. Many examples of this type of small mold-blown glass bottle are known from the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea areas. Its shape resembles that of large terracotta jars, but horizontal ribbing is not usually found on Roman transport amphorae of the 1st century A.D.

Artist

Unknown

Date

2nd half of 1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917