cosmetic tube

Object NameKohl Tube

Made FromGlass

Date499-300 BCE

Place MadeNorthwestern Iran

TechniqueCore formed, applied, tooled, marvered

SizeOverall H: 8.7 cm, W: 4.5 cm; Rim Diam: 1.7 cm

Accession Number70.1.4

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Ancient Persia: The Art of an Empire

On ViewAncient Gallery

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Kohl is a cosmetic material used to darken the eyelids.

Physical DescriptionOpaque "black", opaque yellow-green, and opaque yellow glass, some small bubbles, yellow glass pitted, other glasses unweathered; core formed with applied trail decoration. Thickened rim tooled to form 13 vertical ribs, constricts slightly before spreading out into long rectangular body with square cross section, opaque yellow blobs applied at each corner of shoulder, a corresponding set of 4 applied on bottom as feet, entire surface beneath blobs decorated with applied yellow green tail of glass wound 36 times around body and dragged alternately up and down to form festoon pattern, carefully marvered into surface; base tapers sharply and is rounded by reheating.
Provenance

Source Saeed Motamed (Iranian, 1925 - 2013) - 1970