Glass gold-band mosaic bottle

Unknown

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

Translucent cobalt blue, honey brown, and bluish green, colorless encasing gold leaf, and opaque white (?). Everted, horizontal rim with rounded outer lip; cylindrical neck; sloping shoulder; carinated body with straight side above carination and convex curving side below; slightly concave bottom. Gold-band mosaic pattern formed from a single serpentine length of layered canes formed in the following order: blue, colorless with gold leaf, green, and thin stripes of white; the length is wound three times round body, being fused together across bottom. A single fine horizontal line incised on upper surface of rim near outer edge; a band of two grooves flanking a raised line at junction of shoulder and side; and another band of two grooves flanking a raised line at junction of side and bottom. Intact, except for one weathered chip in rim and two deep weathered chips in side of body; many pinprick bubbles; dulling, pitting, and creamy brown weathering with brilliant iridescence. Rotary grinding marks on exterior.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st half of 1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917