ROMAN GLASS JAR WITH TWO HANDLES

 

JAR WITH TWO HANDLES of Hans van Rossum

Late 4th century – 5th century A.D. | Weight 78 g

Found in the surrounding area of Sebaste (Samaria-Israel) Size↑8.0 cm | ø 7.5 cm (body)

 

Technique: Free blown, handles and threads applied

Condition: Intact, areas of silvery iridescence

Description: Transparent colorless to pale yellowish green glass. Squat globular body, short cylindrical neck, wide mouth. Rounded rim edged with a thick dark blue thread, the neck decorated with a thin dark blue thread in six revolutions. Body decorated with ten pincered prunts. Two opposing angular handles in dark blue coil, mixed with red glass-streaks, applied to the shoulder, drawn outward and backward, attached to the edge of the rim. One handle continuing to the inner side of the mouth, forming a kind of thumb-rest. Base indented with rest of pontil.

Remarks: Jars of this type were common in the eastern Mediterranean during the fourth and fifth centuries AD., although they are more typically decorated with applied blue or turquoise zigzag trailing.                    

Provenance: Jerusalem art market, Biblical Antiquities – Gil Chaya, Jerusalem 16 February 2004

Exhibited: Thermenmuseum Heerlen (NL), Romeins Glas, geleend uit particulier bezit, exp. no. 241 29 April – 28 August 2011

Reference: A Collection of Ancient Glass 500 BC – 500 AD, P.L.W. Arts 2000 no. 76 (with chain-like decoration) Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum, J.W. Hayes 1975 nos. 38 & 388