Hexagonal Jug with Christian Symbols

Place of OriginPalestine, probably made in the vicinity of Jerusalem

Dateabout 578-636 or 638

DimensionsH: 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm);
Max W Body: 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm);
Diam Rim: 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm);
W base: 2 5/16 in. (5.8 cm)

MediumMold blown with applied rim and handle. Medium thin glass

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.1354

Not on View

DescriptionThis jug is made of transparent to translucent dusky yellow glass (near 5 Y 6/4) with a similarly colored handle. The medium thin glass shows blowing spirals, with small spherical bubbles in the mouth and body and vertically elongated bubbles in the neck. The neck and mouth were free-blown, and the body was blown into a mold with designs in low relief on the interior; the mold seams cannot be detected and the relief is indistinct. The rim of the spouted mouth is folded outward, upward, inward, and downward. The tubular neck tapers slightly upward, leading to a horizontal shoulder and a hexagonal body with a slightly concave base. A hollow tubular handle is applied to the shoulder above the junction of panels six and one and attached to the rim. Excess glass at the tip of the handle is drawn out thin and folded back against the top of the handle before it was folded. The underside of the base has a clearly visible ring pontil mark measuring approximately 1.6 cm in diameter. On the body, six decorated rectangular panels are bordered by recessed dots: panel one shows a stylized human (?) figure; panel two shows an unidentified object with two superimposed triangular elements and a recessed dot below, possibly an upside-down stylized figure; panel three shows a stylized human (?) figure; panel four shows two concentric lozenges with recessed dots in each corner; panel five shows a stylized human (?) figure with a possible halo; and panel six shows a stylized human (?) figure with possible wings. This vessel is classified as Barag Class C IV 3, a hexagonal mold-blown jug with Christian symbols in low relief.

Published ReferencesBarag, Dan P., "Glass Pilgrim Vessels from Jerusalem, Pts. II and III," Journal of Glass Studies 13 (1971), p. 49 (C IV 3), 53, fig. 39.

Stern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: the First through Sixth Centuries, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider in Association with the Toledo Museum of Art, Rome, Italy, 1995, cat. no. 177, p. 259-260.