Obsidian revetment slab fragment

Unknown

1st century CE · Obsidian · Greek and Roman Art

Obsidian, a natural volcanic glass, was used by the Romans for sculpture, vessels, and—as here—decorative panels. The ivy and vine tendrils originally may have been filled with inlays in contrasting colors, as in the case of the obsidian cup with Egyptianizing ritual scenes found at Stabiae and now in the Archaeological Museum, Naples.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st century CE

Medium

Obsidian

Culture

Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917