Bulbous Jug-Bottle with Five Handles

Place of OriginAncient Rome, Northern Palestine or Syria

DateProbably late fifth to early sixth century

DimensionsH: 4 5/16 in. (11.0 cm); Rim Diam: 1 1/4 in. (3.1 cm); Body Diam: 2 5/16 in. (5.8 cm); Base Diam: 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm)

MediumGlass; free blown and tooled.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.1050

Not on View

DescriptionMedium thin glass. Fabric cannot be determined because of weathering. Transparent natural pale green. Translucent similarly colored thread and handles. Exact color cannot be determined because of weathering. Free blown. Pontil mark ca. 1.7 cm. Added thread. Excess glass at tips of handles either clipped off or drawn out thin against tops of handles. Rim rounded in flame. Funnel neck. Sloping shoulder. Bulbous body with greatest diameter just below middle. Pushed-in base forms hollow base ring. Five curved coil handles applied to shoulder; four are small and attached over threads around neck ca. 2.6 cm below rim where they are folded upward along neck; one handle is larger and attached to the edge of the rim where it is folded downward and upward to form an open loop. Around neck, twelve revolutions of thread from left to right. CLASSIFICATION: Multiple handled Bottle Class IIIC1a.

Published ReferencesHayes, John W., Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 1975, p. 100, no. 354. (A close parallel dated "Late 4th-early 5th century A.D.")