Images(2)

bottle

Object NameBottle with Birds

Made FromGlass

Date1-99

TechniqueMold-blown (body and lower neck blown in mold with three vertical sections)

SizeOverall H: 7.7 cm, Diam (max): 3.8 cm

Accession Number61.1.16

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Glass from the Ancient World

Verres Antiques de la Collection R.W. Smith

Antikes Glas aus der Sammlung Ray Winfield Smith: Kurpfalzischen Museum Heidelberg

Ennion and His Legacy: Mold-Blown Glass From Ancient Rome

Place Made

Roman Empire; Syro-Palestine

Physical DescriptionBrownish green, transparent; mold-blown. Bottle with six sides. Rim folded out, up, and in; neck cylindrical; shoulder slopes; wall vertical, tapering at bottom; base flat; no pontil mark. Shoulder and wall decorated in prominent relief. On shoulder, frieze of six rounded arches resting on continuous horizontal rib at junction with wall. On vertical part of wall, six rectangular panels, each filling one side of vessel and separated from adjoining sides by single vertical post which terminates at horizontal rib and supports arches on shoulder. Each panel has, at top, triangular pediment framed by posts and horizontal rib, and, below this, one bird that is either perched or in flight (from left to right): (1) bird with long, bent neck and spoon-shaped bill facing to right, perched on object with narrow base and three bulbous lobes; (2) bird or butterfly with wings extended upward, flying to right and apparently departing from rock or similar object; (3) small bird facing to left, perched on unidentified object and touching edge of panel with beak; (4) large bird with long neck facing to right, perched on bulbous object; (5) bird, apparently raptor, with outspread wings, flying to left above unidentified object; (6) bird with wings extended upward, perched on right side of nest and facing left to feed young bird reaching up in left side of nest. On bottom of wall, frieze of 26 upturned tongues. Mold seams extend from above mid-point of neck, down wall between panels 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6, and meet under base, off-center.
Provenance

Provenance Remark

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