Spherical Jug without Collar at Shoulder

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Spherical Jug without Collar at Shoulder

Place of OriginRoman Empire, Eastern Mediteranean, Syria or Palestine

DateProbably 2nd century

DimensionsH (including handle): 5 1/8 in. (12.9 cm); Diam: 2 1/8 in. (5.3 cm)

MediumGlass; mold blown and tooled.

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.888

Not on View

DescriptionThis jug is made of medium-thin glass in a transparent to translucent manganese-colored dusky red hue (near 5 R 3/4). The handle is of a similar color. The fabric cannot be determined due to weathering. The neck and mouth were free-blown, while the body was blown into a four-part mold consisting of three vertical sections joined to a disk-shaped base section (MCT III). The relief is moderately crisp. There is no pontil mark. The circular mouth has a rim folded outward, upward, inward, and flattened. The neck is cylindrical with a constriction at its base, leading to a strongly sloped shoulder and a spherical body. The base is slightly concave. An angular strap handle is attached to the shoulder and fixed to the rim, where it is folded upward, backward, downward, and pinched to form a vertical projection. The body features a sunken relief design of nine interlocking circles with a dot in the center of each circle. Below this is a double row of dots, and faint remains of a double row of dots above survive on one-third of the body, corresponding to one vertical mold section. The underside of the base is undecorated.

Published ReferencesStern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: The First through Sixth Centuries, Rome, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 1995, p. 190, no. 118.