Bowl with Hexagonal Facets

Place of OriginLikely Iran

Date5th- early 7th century CE

DimensionsH: 8 cm (3 5/32 in.); Rim Diam: 11 cm (4 11/32 in.)

MediumColorless glass; blown in open mold, facet-cut, polished

ClassificationGlass

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1981.95

Not on View

DescriptionA thick-walled, hemispherical bowl made from cast glass with a slightly more-than-semicircular profile and a subtly turned-in rim. The surface is decorated with a large central facet at the base, encircled by seven large facets, and four additional horizontal rows of equal-sized concave facets climbing the walls. Just below the rounded lip, an arcade-like band preserves part of the original smooth glass surface. Originally pale green or colorless, the bowl has weathered to a creamy, limestone-like patina—a transformation typical of ancient glass buried in climates with seasonal extremes. The rim was likely rounded by reheating rather than ground.

Label TextCarved into deep concave facets and originally a pale green or colorless glass, it was produced by master glassmakers of the Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE), which ruled much of what is now Iran and Iraq. The Sasanians were the great rivals of the Roman and Byzantine empires and built a cosmopolitan culture known for its rich visual traditions, religious tolerance, and long-distance trade. Glassmaking flourished alongside luxury crafts in silver, textiles, and carved gems.Published ReferencesLucknet, K., "Recent Acquisitions of Ancient Glass at the Toledo Museum of Art," The Decorative Arts Society Newsletter, VIII, 2 and 3, 1982, p. 11.

"Recent Important Acquisitions," Journal of Glass Studies, vol. 24, 1982, repr. p. 89.

Page, Jutta-Annette, The Art of Glass: Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, Toledo Museum of Art, 2006, p. 50, repr. (col.) p. 51.