fragment
Object NameCup or Bowl (Fragment)
Made FromGlass, Gold
Date300-399
Place MadeRoman Empire
Techniqueblown, applied, gilded
SizeOverall H: 5.3 cm; Footring H: 4.7 cm, W: 4.3 cm; Wall Th: 0.1 cm
Accession Number59.1.277
Curatorial Area(s)
Exhibitions
Glass from the Ancient World
Not On View
Physical DescriptionAlmost colorless glass, with yellowish green fracture, gold; blown, applied, gilded. Cup or bowl: fragment comprising base and very small part of lower wall. Bottom of wall tapers at very shallow angle; base flat, with thin, carefully applied footring and similar concentric ring (D. 1.8 cm) at center, surrounding very small boss. On outside of wall, at highest surviving point, minute trace of applied element. Underside of base bears Greek inscription arranged in circle between footring and inner ring, and intended to be read from inside: sigma, omega, tau, eta, rho theta, epsilon, omicron, upsilon upsilon, iota, omicron, sigma, soter theou huios, "Savior, Son of God" (all letters are correctly formed capitals; sigma consists of straight lines). Inside inner ring, two fish, head to head, with heads and tails touching. Inscription and outlines of fish appear shiny and relatively unpitted; background appears dull, with traces of gilding.Provenance
Source
Ray Winfield Smith
(American, 1897-1982) - 1959-07-27
