Barrel-shaped Bottle With Two Handles

Place of OriginAncient Rome, probably Syria or Palestine

DateProbably second half of the first century

DimensionsH: 3 in. (7.7 cm); Diam: 13/16 in. (2.1 cm)

MediumGlass; mold blown and tooled.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.683

Not on View

DescriptionBarrel-shaped bottle with two handles made of translucent dark blue glass with two similarly colored handles. Medium thin glass; fabric cannot be determined due to weathering. The neck was free-blown, while the ovoid body was blown into a two-part vertical mold (MCT VIII K) with a continuous mold seam that follows a central rib around the body. The everted rim is folded outward, upward, and inward. The cylindrical neck leads to an ovoid body with a convex base. Two coil handles were applied to the shoulder and attached to the rim, positioned directly over the mold seam. The tips of the handles were not drawn out; they may have been snapped off when the glass cooled or cut off with shears. Each side of the body is decorated with sixteen concentric circular ribs, leaving the center of each side undecorated.

Label TextNeck free blown. Body blown into a two-part mold of two vertical sections (MCT VIII K). One continuous mold seam follows central rib around body. Tips of handles not drawn out; they could have been snapped off when the glass cooled or cut off with shears. Everted rim folded outward, upward, and inward. Cylindrical neck. Ovoid body. Convex base. Two coil handles applied to shoulder and attached to rim. Handles positioned over mold seam. On each side of the body, sixteen concentric circular ribs. Center of each side left undecorated.Published ReferencesStern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: The First through Sixth Centuries, Rome, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 1995, p. 160, no. 70, color pl. 12.