Hexagonal Jug

Place of OriginEastern Mediterranean, probably Syria

DateSixth to early seventh centuries

DimensionsH: 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm); Diam (rim): 1 9/16 in. (4 cm); Max Width Body: 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm);
Width Base: 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm)

MediumMold blown; tooled; applied decoration and handle

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.1350

Not on View

DescriptionTransparent natural pale green (near 10 GY 6/2). Translucent similarly colored handle and coil. Thin glass. Numerous vertically elongated bubbles in neck; a few spherical bubbles in body. Black specks in neck and shoulder. Mouth and neck free blown. Body probably blown into a multipart mold with a base plate. Relief crisp. Pontil mark ca. 1.1 cm in diameter. Excess glass at tip of handle folded back against top of handle. Circular mouth, with rim folded outward, upward, and inward. Tubular neck with slight upward taper. Shoulder slightly sloped. Hexagonal body with slight downward taper. Kicked base. Curved coil handle applied to shoulder between panels 1 and 2 and attached to edge of rim where it is folded downward/inward and upward/outward to form a closed loop. Around middle of neck, neck coil from left to right, with buckle at point of attachment. On the body, six rectangular panels decorated with designs in sunken relief. In the panels, from left to right: 1, two and a quarter lozenges with a circle in the center of each; 2, lattice; 3, stylized palm branch with eleven or twelve leaves on each side; 4, same as panel 1; 5, same as panel 2; 6, stylized palm branch with nine leaves on each side. On underside of base, in sunken outline, a star with six forked arms. Transparent natural pale green (near 10 GY 6/2). Translucent similarly colored handle and coil.

Published ReferencesStern, 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. 180, pp. 261-262, color plate 29, p. 63.