ANCIENT AGATE PATTERNED GLASS

It is with great pleasure that we dedicate these three posts to our daughter-in-law Tori Randall. Due to her interest and vast knowledge of rocks and minerals she has been our inspiration for writing these posts.

Aventurine Glass (active link)

Ancient Agate Patterned Glass

Ancient Glass That Imitates Rock Crystal (active link)

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Ancient Agate Patterned Glass

J. Paul Getty Museum Ribbed Mosaic Glass Bowl 1st century B.C., A.D.

The mineral agate, with its colorful undulating patterns and colors was sometimes copied by glass workers in Ancient times.  Agate is a common rock formation of quartz (SiO2). It is a fine-grained variegated chalcedony having its colors arranged in stripes, blended in clouds, or showing moss-like forms.  This mineral best describes the patterns, colors of the mosaic glass objects in this post. The agate patterned glass was used in the 1^st C. B.C.- 1^st C. A.D. to make cast bowls, bottles, jars and core form vessels.

Below are examples of vessels carved from agate rock, followed be those made of glass in imitation of the agate’s patterns. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Agate Rock Vessels

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

J. Paul Getty Museum

J. Paul Getty Museum

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Vessels made of Agate patterned glass

Below are two views of the three vessels. All of these are from the Sammlung Erwin Oppenlander collection of ancient glass now in J. Paul Getty Museum located in the Getty Villa Malibu, CA  The singular example is from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dates: 1^st C. B.C.- 1^st C. A.D.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art