Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Roman semi-translucent glass amulet pendant, circular in form with a large integral ribbed suspension loop. The front is moulded in relief with the image of a lion striding left, framed within a raised border. Plain reverse side. A decorative and symbolic personal ornament, combining skilled glass working with a powerful animal motif. The lion was widely associated with strength, protection and authority in the Roman world, making such pendants both visually appealing and meaningful to the wearer. Height: ± 21,3 mm Diameter: ± 14,4 mm Condition: good and intact, wearable. Visible signs of wear consistent with age and use. See images. Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format). LIONS were strongly associated with Hercules as he strangled the Nemean Lion as one of his Twelve Labours. A lion's skin was one of Heracles' attributes. For soldiers in the Roman army, the lion hunt was a favourite pastime. The Roman Imperial army included 'venatores' (hunters) in their ranks. ANCIENT GLASS Glass has always been found in nature, but the humans first created glass about 4.000 years ago. when ancient craftsmen in Mesopotamia discovered the art of mixing sand, soda and lime to make glass. For centuries, glass was a luxury item and reserved for the upper classes. Glassmaking centers around the Mediterranean world experimented with new techniques (casting, core-forming, mosaic glass) and with colours by adding metallic oxides (cobalt, copper, etc) to the mixture. The Romans learned the glass-making craft after the conquest of Egypt in the 1st century BC. During the 1st century AD the glassblowing technique revolutionized the production and made it possible to produce larger quantities. By adding manganese dioxide Roman glassmakers successfully produced colourless or ‘aqua’ glass for the first time. Roman glass became a very popular material, used for beads, glass windows, mosaic tiles, tableware pieces etc. Roman glass was traded all over the Roman Empire and far beyond to Central Africa, Scandinavia and via the Silk Route to China.