About this artwork
Lidded glass urns were among the largest blown-glass vessels produced by the Romans. Manufactured as storage jars, they were also used as burial containers for cremated human remains and have been unearthed primarily in the western part of the Roman Empire, including Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. While Roman glassmakers could produce a range of vibrant colors, the translucent, blue-green color of this urn was achieved naturally due to the presence of iron oxide in the raw materials used in its production.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 152
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Department
- Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium
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Culture
- Ancient Roman
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Title
- Urn
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Place
- Roman Empire (Object made in)
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Date
- 50 CE–200 CE
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Medium
- Glass, blown
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Dimensions
- a (urn): 33.3 × 19 × 19 cm (13 1/8 × 7 1/5 × 7 1/5 in) b (lid): 30.4 × 10.1 × 10 cm (12 × 4 × 3.96 in)
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Credit Line
- Purchased with funds provided by the Classical Art Society and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Alexander, William and Ann Roberts, and Philip Morris Companies, Inc., through the Classical Art Society in honor of Kurt Luckner
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Reference Number
- 1999.263a-b
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/152017/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.