Roman Glass Pilgrim Flask - Aubergine & Iridescent!

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 3rd to 4th century CE. A striking glass pilgrim flask created from stunning translucent aubergine glass that has developed marvelous silvery and rainbow iridescence. Its form presents an elegant flattened teardrop body, a tubular neck that resolves in a generous rolled rim, and a pair of trailed handles joining rim to neck. A pilgrim flask like this example was made by blowing a flask of a standard shape and then compressing it to a flattened form. The name of this vessel derives from the canteen-like bottles once carried by pilgrims. Scholars have also suggested that flasks like this were used as holy oil containers. A wonderful example, replete with an elegant form, striking aubergine hues, and fabulous iridescence! Size: 3" W x 5.125" H (7.6 cm x 13 cm); 5.625" H (14.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Florida, USA collection, purchased at the Archaeological center auction, Tel Aviv, Israel (April 8, 1993, lot 122); ex-B. Rhodes collection, Florida, USA

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#151617
Condition Report: Expected micro-bubbling within glass matrix. Covered with rainbow and silvery iridescence. The silvery iridescence on one handle in particular is remarkably mirrorlike. Flat smooth section on base rather than a pontil mark. A pontil scar or mark indicates that a vessel was free-blown, while the absence of such a mark suggests that the work was either mold-blown or that the mark was intentionally smoothed away or wore away over time.