Glass two-handled bottle (amphora)
Translucent deep olive green; handles and trail in translucent deep blue green.
Rounded rim; shallow funnel-shaped mouth; cylindrical neck; sloping shoulder, with rounded edge that very slightly overhangs side; cylindrical body with vertical side, then funnel-shaped and tapering to solid, pointed, knob base; two four-ribbed strap handles applied to shoulder, drawn up vertically, then turned in, and trailed onto underside of mouth and top of neck under trail decoration, with excess glass drawn up to rim on one handle.
Single trail wound once around underside of mouth; on cylindrical side of body, wheel-abraded decoration, carelessly executed, comprising three horizontal registers, with a pair of lines above each register: at top, band of eight vertical oval facets alternating with eight motifs that have three parallel vertical lines flanked at top and bottom with a single long line; in middle, band of 23 vertical oval facets; and at bottom, same as top band but more compressed.
Complete, except for weathered chip in rim above one handle; pinprick bubbles, with black impurities in handles; slight weathering on exterior, soil encrustation and iridescent weathering on interior.
Made in imitation of larger terracotta storage jars used to transport wine and olive oil, this amphora may be seen as the eastern equivalent of the cylindrical, barrel-shaped glass bottles that are found in the northwest provinces. It was probably made in Syria, although similar vessels are also known from Egypt.
Rounded rim; shallow funnel-shaped mouth; cylindrical neck; sloping shoulder, with rounded edge that very slightly overhangs side; cylindrical body with vertical side, then funnel-shaped and tapering to solid, pointed, knob base; two four-ribbed strap handles applied to shoulder, drawn up vertically, then turned in, and trailed onto underside of mouth and top of neck under trail decoration, with excess glass drawn up to rim on one handle.
Single trail wound once around underside of mouth; on cylindrical side of body, wheel-abraded decoration, carelessly executed, comprising three horizontal registers, with a pair of lines above each register: at top, band of eight vertical oval facets alternating with eight motifs that have three parallel vertical lines flanked at top and bottom with a single long line; in middle, band of 23 vertical oval facets; and at bottom, same as top band but more compressed.
Complete, except for weathered chip in rim above one handle; pinprick bubbles, with black impurities in handles; slight weathering on exterior, soil encrustation and iridescent weathering on interior.
Made in imitation of larger terracotta storage jars used to transport wine and olive oil, this amphora may be seen as the eastern equivalent of the cylindrical, barrel-shaped glass bottles that are found in the northwest provinces. It was probably made in Syria, although similar vessels are also known from Egypt.
Artwork Details
- Title: Glass two-handled bottle (amphora)
- Period: Late Imperial
- Date: 4th century CE
- Culture: Roman
- Medium: Glass; body blown in a mold, trailed, and cut
- Dimensions: H.: 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
- Classification: Glass
- Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
- Object Number: 17.194.326
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
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1st half of 1st century CE
3rd century CE
late 1st–2nd century CE
Ennion
1st half of 1st century CE
ca. 50–80 CE
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