A delicate Ancient Roman flask formed from translucent glass. The vessel features a thin body with an uneven rounded base. A long cylindrical neck leads towards an uneven everted rim. The glass displays a beautiful silver-blue iridescence, alongside earthy encrustations, and minor weathering, pitting and encrustations consistent with age. There are two stable cracks near the base of the flask. The vessel is unable to stand unassisted. Glass was often the preferred material for storing expensive oils, perfumes, and medicines because it was not porous. The small body and mouth allowed the user to carefully pour and control the amount of liquid dispensed. 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. 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. The iridescence on ancient Roman glass was unintentional, and was caused by weathering on its surface. The extent to which a glass object weathers depends mainly on the burial conditions; however, the humidity, heat, and type of soil in which the glass was buried also all affect its preservation. Measurements: H 9.7cm x W 2.2cm Provenance: Ex London Art Market, acquired 1980s-90s.