Object Description
An elegant ancient Roman candlestick style unguentarium blown from a delicate pale blue glass. The body is formed by two short globular segments which extend into a long, elegant, cylindrical neck, topped by a flared, outward-folded rim. The base is flattened but slightly concave at the centre. Whilst the exterior of the vessel is free from texture and weathering, the interior contains some light grey residue and loose sediment, and a dark iridescent patina coats parts of the upper body segment and lower neck. The glass itself is translucent and showcases a very slight rainbow iridescence in some areas
The lovely light blue ‘aqua’ colouring is characteristic of natural untreated glass and is commonplace amongst early Roman examples. It is a result of iron (II) oxide present within the composition.
Date: Circa 1st-3rd century AD