About this artwork
Initially affordable only among the wealthy, glass was used in ancient Rome as containers for oils, perfume, and tablewares. The word “amphoriskos”, Greek for “small amphora”, refers to this object’s shape, a miniature version of the two-handled metal or ceramic vessels that contained oil or wine. Core-formed glass was made by dipping a removable core that gives the vessel its shape into a molten glass mixture.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
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Artist
- Ancient Mediterranean
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Title
- Amphoriskos (Container for Oil)
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Place
- Mediterranean Region (Object made in)
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Date
- 200 BCE–1 BCE
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Medium
- Glass, core-formed technique
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Dimensions
- 15.2 × 7 × 7 cm (6 × 2 3/4 × 2 3/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Theodore W. and Frances S. Robinson
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Reference Number
- 1949.1165
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/67493/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.