Ancient Roman Glass Juglet, Spanish Export License.

ITEM: Juglet
MATERIAL: Glass
CULTURE: Roman
PERIOD: 1st - 3rd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 88 mm x 69 mm x 52 mm
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex European private collection, Ex Lakythos S.A.R.L (1987), Ex Galerie Hydra, Geneva, Switzerland (1984)

A Roman glass juglet is a small, specialized vessel used primarily during the Roman Imperial period (roughly 1st to 4th centuries CE) for holding and dispensing small quantities of liquids, most often perfumes, oils, or unguents. These vessels were essential components of daily life, particularly in toilette and funerary rituals. They are almost universally characterized by their small size, a spherical or globular body, a long, narrow neck, and a delicate single handle. The advent of glassblowing technology in the 1st century BCE revolutionized their production, allowing for greater variety, speed, and affordability, which made glass juglets common household items and typical grave goods found across the vast expanse of the Roman Empire, from Britain to the Levant.

The aesthetics of these juglets varied widely depending on the region and the era of their manufacture. Early examples often exhibit pale green or bluish tints—the natural color of the glass due to iron impurities in the sand—and feature simple, functional forms. Later examples, especially those from the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, demonstrate increasing sophistication, incorporating techniques like marvering, applied trails of glass, or mold-blowing to create patterned surfaces. Their fragility in antiquity means that the discovery of intact specimens is valuable, often revealing the high degree of skill achieved by Roman glassworkers. The simplicity of their design, focused on minimizing evaporation while allowing for controlled pouring, underscores their functional nature as containers for precious liquids.

The context of their discovery is key to understanding their use. In domestic settings, they were found in dressing rooms or attached to bath equipment, confirming their role in personal grooming and hygiene. Crucially, they are frequently unearthed in Roman cemeteries and tombs, where they were interred alongside the deceased. This funerary practice reflects the belief that the departed would require personal items, including perfumes and oils, in the afterlife. Their presence in graves provides modern archaeologists with invaluable dating evidence and offers insight into the ritualistic and economic significance of these small, utilitarian objects, which represented a fusion of widespread Roman technology and the enduring desire for personal beautification.

Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license

If you bid outside the European Union and win the item, we will have to apply for an export licence for your country and shipping will take 3 to 5 weeks.