1978.09

Unguentarium with Pointed Base

Purchased. Ht 14cm; diam. 2.6cm.

Intact and in good condition but for some very slight iridescence and cracking of the surface. Free-blown translucent blue glass with tall neck and simple everted lip that shows some spiralling; on an extended knob base.

Compare G. De Tommaso, Ampullae vitreae (Rome 1990) type 26, where he points out that this general type (which is regularly of a blue colour) is found in Italy, Gaul and Germany as well as the Eastern Mediterranean, and that it seems to date to the mid-first century AD. See also the piece illustrated by von Saldern et al., Gläser der Antike 220 no. 639 or that in Y. Israeli (ed.), Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum (Jerusalem 2003) no. 105 with colour ill. at p. 104 (unprovenanced).

Charles Ede Ltd (London) Cat 110(?). J.R. Green with B. Rawson, Catalogue of Antiquities in the Australian National University, A.N.U. (Canberra, 1981) 112.