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HOME :
Biblical Antiquities :
Ancient Glass : Roman Glass Flask
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Roman Glass Flask - SF.287
Origin: Mediterranean
Circa: 100
AD
to 300
AD
Collection: Roman Glass
Style: Roman
£1,800.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
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The history of glass making before the Industrial
revolution can be separated in two stages. In the
first, which began in the 3rd millennium BC and
ended in the period between 100 to 50 BC,
craftsmen discovered how to transform raw
materials into glass and how to make vessels
and other objects either with moulds or by
forming a molten glass around a removable
core. Both techniques were labour-intensive and
were seldom made in big quantities. In the
second stage, beginning in the 1st century AD in
the Syro-Palestinian region, glass workers found
that molten glass could be formed by inflation
and manipulation with tools. Glass blowing
enabled them to make quickly a wide range of
shapes, thus widening its market. However, after
the 2nd century AD, glass is generally found in a
more confined area. The change appears to
have taken place under the Flavian Emperors
(69-96 AD), an era that in many ways represents
a watershed in the history of glass making. It is
from this time onwards that glassblowing in the
East and the West developed along independent
lines, the only exception being fine tableware
decorated with special techniques, which was
probably due to the still unifying factor of the
Roman Imperial administration.
Yet, the most prolific period in the history of
glass in the Eastern Mediterranean was during
the late Roman Empire, when many neighboring
countries all had flourishing glass industries.
With the increased demand for glass,
regionalism became the dominant factor in the
production of glass vessels. Marked regional
differences existed not only between the glass
made in Syria, Jordan and Palestine, but even
between different parts of Palestine (inland vs
coast; Galilee and Phoenicia vs Judea). The
glass industries of these regions experienced a
prolonged period of growth, and the late Roman
and early Byzantine period were by far the most
important not only in terms of absolute output
but also in terms of typologies used. Only during
this period, glass was finally used by different
strata of societies, sometimes even replacing
pottery for certain functions.
The Palestinian glass industry flourished from
the 4th to the early 5th century, following the rule
of the Roman emperor Diocletian (284-305),
when the region enjoyed a time of relative peace
in spite of economic instability. When
Constantine the Great finally emerged as sole
ruler in 324, Palestine benefited from the fact
that he targeted Jerusalem and the Holy Land as
main recipients for his reconstruction program.
Exempted from personal taxation by an Imperial
edict in 337, a large number of skilled craftsmen
profited greatly from the economic boom and
created exceptional pieces much like this one.
- (SF.287)
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