Unguentarium

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Unguentarium

Place of OriginRoman Empire

Date1st-2nd century CE

DimensionsH: 2 31/32 in. (7.5 cm); Rim Diam: 13/16 in. (2.1 cm); Diam: 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm)

MediumGlass; free blown and tooled, with spiral trailed thread decoration.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.505

Not on View

DescriptionThis small Roman glass bottle was used to hold perfume or oil. It was made by blowing the glass into shape, then winding white thread around the outside in a spiral. The bottle’s rounded body, tall neck, and lack of a pontil mark are typical of Roman unguentaria from the 1st–2nd century CE.

Published ReferencesHayes, John W., Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 1975, p. 53, (included as a parallel to his no. 112).Comparative ReferencesSee also Stern 1977, nos. 5, 6 for discussion and dated parallels (but avoid the confusing term colorband in this context. Parallels: Smith 1957, no. 319 (ill.) acq. in Syria (color not mentioned); Dusenbery 1967, nos. 16, 17 (figs. 17, 18): three spherical thread-wound bottles from a Samothracian burial, discovered together with bottles decorated with embedded thread and core glass amphorisk, late type. V.Saldern 1974, no. 648 (ill.), oblate body, and nos. 645, 646 with spherical body, add no information about type, although they are valid parallels.