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Obsidian, a natural volcanic glass, was used by the Romans for sculpture, vessels, and—as here—decorative panels. The ivy and vine tendrils originally may have been filled with inlays in contrasting colors, as in the case of the obsidian cup with Egyptianizing ritual scenes found at Stabiae and now in the Archaeological Museum, Naples.
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Title: Obsidian revetment slab fragment
Period: Early Imperial
Date: 1st century CE
Culture: Roman
Medium: Obsidian; cut
Dimensions: Overall: 2 3/4 x 3 1/8 in. (7 x 7.9 cm)
Classification: Glass
Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number: 17.194.2359
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