Bulbous Bottle with Herringbone Pattern (Sprinkler)

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Bulbous Bottle with Herringbone Pattern (Sprinkler)

Place of OriginRoman Empire, probably Syria or inland Palestine

Date3rd century

DimensionsH: 3 7/16 in. (8.8 cm)

MediumGlass; mold blown; mold sutures visible. Translucent uncolored glass, greenish tinge

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.1340

Not on View

DescriptionThe vessel is made of medium thin glass with numerous pinprick and small bubbles, black specks, and some stone inclusions. The glass appears transparent natural pale green (10 G 6/2). The neck and mouth are free-blown. The body was blown into a two-part mold with two vertical sections (MCT VIII). One continuous mold seam extends around the body and across the underside of the base. The edges of the mold are not carefully aligned, but the relief remains crisp. The pontil mark measures approximately 1.8 cm in diameter. The rim is outsplayed at a 45-degree angle, rounded and thickened in flame. The short tubular neck has a constriction at its base where an interior cutout forms a diaphragm with an aperture of approximately 0.3 cm. The ovoid body has its greatest diameter near the middle. The convex base prevents the vessel from standing upright. The body is decorated with two horizontal herringbone motifs to the right, which are bordered at the shoulder by a row of eleven squares in raised outline.

Published ReferencesStern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: The First through Sixth Centuries, Rome, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 1995, p. 196-197, no. 131.