A stunning Ancient Roman glass flask, blown from blue glass that is now partly covered with earthly encrustation. The vessel features a domed body that flows into a long cylindrical neck with a slightly flared mouth. The vessel stands on a concave base. There is a very subtle ribbed motif to the top of the shoulder of the vessel and the neck is decorated with applied trails of glass, the majority of which has chipped off. The surface of the vessel is covered with intense iridescence. The mouth of the vessel has been repaired, with a vertical crack still visible on the inside. Glue residue is visible to the exterior. Please note, the flower is for reference only. Glass was often the preferred material for storing expensive oils, perfumes, and medicines in antiquity because it was not porous. Glass vessels are found frequently at Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in cemeteries, and the liquids that filled them would have been gathered from all corners of the expansive Roman Empire. Unguentaria were amongst the most common objects of Roman glass: produced in large numbers, they were items of everyday use for keeping expensive unguents and cosmetic oils. Measurements: Circa H 17.5cm x W 7cm Provenance: Ex London collection, 1990s.