Glass alabastron (perfume bottle)

2nd–mid-1st century BCE

Not on view

Translucent pale blue with greenish tinge, with handles in same color (?); trail in opaque light blue.
Broad rim-disk with rounded edge, sloping deeply inward, with projecting jagged inner edge to mouth; straight-sided fusiform body expanding downward, then tapering in to pointed bottom; two horizontal lug handles applied over trail at top of body, placed unevenly.
Trail attached near bottom, drawn up in a spiral to point of carination, tooled into a close-set feather pattern around side, arranged in eight panels of alternating upward and downward strokes, wound round again in spiral to top of body, and ending in irregular wavy line that trails off down side.
Complete,except for part of rim-disk, with internal crack around lower body; dulling, slight pitting, and iridescent, milky white weathering covering most of surface.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Title: Glass alabastron (perfume bottle)
Period: Hellenistic
Date: 2nd–mid-1st century BCE
Culture: Greek, Eastern Mediterranean
Medium: Glass; core-formed, Group III
Dimensions: H.: 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Classification: Glass
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.1377
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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