New photography by Shannon Ruff captured with a digital camera-2006.

Bowl

Manufacturer Unknown

CultureByzantine | Roman

Date4th century-5th century

MediumBlown glass | Cut glass

DimensionsOverall: 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm)
Overall, Rim: 5 7/16 in. (13.8 cm)

Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.

Object number71.6792

On View

Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 116-1, Case 3

DescriptionBowl/cup of clear, faintly yellowish glass. Cut and engraved hemispherical vessel. Two round cuts above the polished pontil. Bottom half has three rows of oval (lozenge) cuts then a wide band of seven engraved diamonds whose centers have cross hatching between more pillar cutting and other geometric lines.

Label TextRoman Empire Bowl, 4th century A.D. Blown glass; cut, engraved Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. 71.6792 Colorless cut glass bowls with similar decoration must have been popular luxury objects throughout the Roman Empire. Although colorless cut glass (undoubtedly inspired by carved rock crystal) had been fashionable in the Persian Empire and in the Hellenistic world, it did not become fashionable in the Roman Empire until the late first century A.D. Published ReferencesVictor H. Elbern, "A Group of Later Roman Glass Goblets from Cologne, _Corning Journal of Glass Studies_, VIII, pg. 66, fig. 3, similar, "usually found in Rhineland or Near East, 3rd or 4th Cent. A.D."