Cylindrical Box (Pyxis)
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for Cylindrical Box (Pyxis)
Cylindrical Box (Pyxis)
Place of OriginAncient Rome, Campania, Syria or Palestine
DateSecond half of the first century CE
DimensionsH: 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm); Rim Diam: 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm); Diam: 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); Base Diam: 2 3/8 in. (6 cm)
MediumGlass; mold blown and tooled.
ClassificationGlass
Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number
1923.488
Not on View
DescriptionOpaque grayish (purplish) blue. Thin glass.
Blown into a three-part mold of two vertical sections joined to a disk-shaped base section which included the horizontal ridge forming the lower edge of the wall (MCT VII). Mold seams from rim to ridge partly concealed in the inverted palmettes. Relief crisp.
Rim unworked. Cylindrical body with inset and mold-blown ridge below to support lid. On the flat underside of the base, four raised concentric circles around a small central boss.
On the body, between two ridges forming top and bottom borders, a continuous frieze of eight elegant seven-leaf palmettes, alternately upright and inverted. The upright palemettes have thick outturned leaves. The inverted palmettes have thin leaves curling up and inward. Elaborate detailing of the palmette hearts.
Opaque grayish (purplish) blue.
Blown into a three-part mold of two vertical sections joined to a disk-shaped base section which included the horizontal ridge forming the lower edge of the wall (MCT VII D). Mold seams from rim to ridge partly concealed in the inverted palmettes. Relief crisp.
Rim unworked. Cylindrical body with inset and mold-blown ridge below to support lid. On the flat underside of the base, four raised concentric circles around a small central boss.
On the body, between two ridges forming top and bottom borders, a continuous frieze of eight elegant seven-leaf palmettes, alternately upright and inverted. The upright palemettes have thick outturned leaves. The inverted palmettes have thin leaves curling outward. Elaborate detailing of the palmette hearts.
Published ReferencesRichter, G. M. A., "The Curtis Collection of Ancient Glass," Art in America 2, 1914, p. 85, fig. 15 (it is not clear which of the two pyxides in the Curtis Collection was illustrated by Richter, 1923.442 or 1923.488).
Harden, D. B., "Romano-Syrian Glasses with Mould Blown Inscriptions," Journal of Roman Studies, vol. 25, 1935, p. 185, app. III, B, no. d.
Stern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: The First through Sixth Centuries, Rome, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 1995, p. 171, no. 81, color pl. 15.
Second half of the first century CE
Second half of the first century CE
Probably second half of the first century
Probably second to third quarter of first century
Probably second half of first century
Third to first century BCE
1835-1850
Abbasid Period (750-1258)
about 450-423 BCE
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