Date-shaped Bottle

Place of OriginPhoenicia

DateMid-first to early second century

DimensionsH: 2 13/16 in. (7.2 cm); Rim Diam: 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Body Diam: 1 in. (2.54 cm)

MediumGlass; mold blown, tooled

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1923.570

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 02, Classic

DescriptionTranslucent brownish yellow. Medium thin glass. Fabric cannot be determined because of weathering. Rim tooled. Body blown into a three-part mold of three vertical sections. One continuous mold seam around body and a central mold seam; mold seams concealed in the pattern of wrinkles (MCT IV). Everted rim, rounded and thickened in flame; tool mark on interior. Short flaring neck. Body shaped like a date with a nearly triangular cross section. Relief pattern of long wavy ridges, imitating the wrinkles in the skin of a ripe date. Translucent brownish yellow. Rim tooled. Body blown into a three-part mold of three vertical sections. One continuous mold seam around body and a central mold seam; mold seams concealed in the pattern of wrinkles (MCT IV B). Everted rim, rounded and thickened in flame; tool mark on interior. Short flaring neck. Body shaped like a date with a nearly triangular cross section. Relief pattern of long wavy ridges, imitating the wrinkles in the skin of a ripe date.

Label TextThe date palm tree was one of the prized plants of the Mediterranean world as its fruit was so useful and delicious—even the pits were used for fuel. First made in the Roman Imperial period, glass vessels in the shape of dried dates were incredibly popular for holding perfume or medicines. Most likely, a real dried fruit was used to make a mold of clay or plaster and then glass was blown into the mold to create the vessel. The neck and rim would have been tooled and added to the body. These objects were often included in burials as personal items for the deceased.Published ReferencesHayes, John W., Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 1975, nos. 87-89 (three close parallels dated to "Late 1st-Late 2nd century A.D.").

Stern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: The First through Sixth Centuries, Rome, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 1995, p. 179, no. 107.