Römisches Reich Glas Sprinkler-Kanne

An Ancient Roman sprinkler juglet blown from glass. The vessel features a piriform body leading to a short cylindrical neck and a thick, everted rim. A handle has been attached from the rim to shoulder, which features a trail decoration, though now mostly chipped and missing. There is a diaphragm within the neck, pierced by a single hole, to allow liquids to slowly pass through. The piece is almost entirely covered with earthy encrustations, with small sections of polychrome iridescence, attesting to the age of the item. Signs of wear as consistent with age.

Glass was often the preferred material for storing expensive oils, perfumes, and medicines because it was not porous. By the 1st century AD, the technique of glass-blowing had revolutionised the art of glass-making, allowing for the production of small medicine, incense, and perfume containers in new forms. Designed with a constriction on the inside of the neck, it permitted only a drop of liquid to pass through at a time, hence the term ‘sprinkler’ or ‘dropper’ juglet. The small body and mouth allowed the user to carefully pour and control the amount of expensive liquid dispensed. These small glass bottles are found frequently at Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in cemeteries, and the liquids which filled them would have been gathered from all corners of the expansive Roman Empire.

Measurements (circa): H 9.5cm x W 5cm

Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman, bought 1970s and by descent.

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