Ancient Roman Twin-Handled Aryballos

Object Description

A glass aryballos featuring a large globular body, short and narrow neck and a wide flange rim. Two applied glass handles trail off just below the rim to the top of the body.

Aryballos were small vessels used for storing perfumes and scented oils, and were made of blown glass. They are sometimes called oil bottles. More elaborately decorated, slightly larger and decorated examples of these oil bottles were called amphoriskoi and were produced by glassmakers in Syria and Palestine. Aryballoi of this type were also produced in Syria, and in the West.

Object Literature

Hayes, J.W., Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in Royal Ontario Museum, 1975, nos. 119, 122.

Object Condition

Complete and intact. Covered with encrustations and a highly attractive multi-coloured iridescence that is unusually bright.

Object Details