Glass alabastron (perfume bottle)

Unknown

late 6th–5th century BCE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent cobalt blue, with handles in same color; trails in opaque white and opaque yellow. Slightly concave horizontal rim-disk, formed as a coil, with rough edge to mouth; no perceptible neck or shoulder; slightly convex side to cylindrical body, tapering upwards; rounded bottom, with central point; two vertical ring handles with knobbed tails, applied over trail decoration. White trail attached at neck under rim-disk, wound down unevenly, tooled into an irregular close-set zigzag pattern, with deep vertical ribs; four separate yellow trails added over white at intervals down sides. Broken and repaired, with some holes, chips, and cracks, especially on lower body; slight dulling, pitting, and weathering.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 6th–5th century BCE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Greek, Eastern Mediterranean

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971