Published: May 15, 2018 • By Nora I. Moriarty and Debby Sneed

Catalogue Entry听Photograph of a dark glass vessel with an oviod body that tapers to a point, a relatively short neck that tapers outward to the mouth, and a handle that connects the body to the mouth, from the side against a neutral gray background.

From the Catalogue of听Ancient Glass in the University of Colorado Museum

Gift of H. Medill Sarkisian and Justine Sarkisian Rodriguez (1979)
听(2008)
Height: 9.5听cm
Diameter (max.): 4.4听cm
Roman, 1st century C.E.

Classification:听Isings Form 120a;听Harden Fabric 6

Description: Irregular rim, folded-in, with wide mouth. Handle on one side connects rim to shoulder with pronounced attachment points. Short, irregularly-formed neck. Pronounced, rounded shoulder. Ovoid body. Base tapers to a rounded point.听Original color completely . Much flaking. Blown,听handle added separately.

Comment:听The shape of this jug, which has also been described as "bomboid,"听is straightforward, yet it is difficult to classify. Isings Form 120a has a small base ring, but not a point. The shape of the body is closer to Form 60 (amphoriskos with a pointed base). Direct parallels are not forthcoming. Mariacher 1961, pl. 17;听Hayes 1975, no. 284; and听Constable-Maxwell Collection听1979, lot 255, have globular bodies rather than ovoid, and Hayes 1975, nos. 286 and 339 have similar bodies except for the flattened base and pour spout. Hayes 1975,听no. 415听is close in shape, save for the ribs on the body. Perhaps the most similar is Charleston and Archer 1977, no. 8, which in all respects is very close to this jug except for the flattened base.

Discussion

We cannot be sure what the original color of the glass was, due to how the jug aged. The chemicals which made up the glass began to break down, causing iridescence. It became so severe that the color was concealed underneath the weathering and damage.

This vessel was originally identified as being a 3rd century C.E. production but was updated in 2017 to 1st century C.E. by Dr. Sarah James (CU Boulder) on the basis of its blue color.听

The CU collection also contains a much earlier Eastern Mediterranean example of an amphoriskos.

References

  • Catalogue of the Constable-Maxwell Collection of Ancient Glass.听London: Maggs Brothers,听1979.
  • Charleston, R. J.听and M. Archer.听Glass and Stained Glass.听Fribourg: National Trust, Office du Livre,听1977.
  • Hayes, J. W.听Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum.听罢辞谤辞苍迟辞:听1975.
  • Mariacher, G.听Italian Blown Glass from Ancient Rome to Venice.听New York: McGraw-Hill,听1961.
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