Bulbous Jar

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Bulbous Jar

Place of OriginRoman Empire, possibly Phoenicia

DatePossibly 4th century

DimensionsH: 1 9/16 in. (3.9 cm); Rim Diam: 1 3/16 in. (3.0 cm); Body Diam: 1 5/16 in. (3.3 cm)

MediumGlass; free-blown and tooled.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.892

Not on View

DescriptionThis jar is made of thick, heavy glass in a translucent to transparent dark royal blue hue, though the exact color and fabric cannot be determined due to weathering. Blowing spirals are visible in the glass, and there is no pontil mark. The rim is folded outward, upward, inward, downward, and flattened to form a brim. The neck is deeply concave, leading to a horizontal shoulder. The near cylindrical body has walls that taper downward to a round base. Its typology corresponds to Jar Class IA1. The shape is possibly related to a few small jars excavated at Tyre with fourth-century coins. However, no parallel from a controlled excavation has similar color and thickness of the glass.