Page 125 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
P. 125
).2 Most breams have a narrow body and a doubtedly exceptional due to its motif, which at the engr aved glass bowl from bak ar – a vessel for honour able guests 125
single dorsal fin extending almost throughout the same time also directly relates it to the origi-
their backs. The motif of similar large fish is also nal workshops in Egypt (Lazar 2008c, 67).
depicted on a bottle from Ptuj, belonging to the
same group of products (Lazar and Tomanič Je- Originally, many researchers determined
vremov 2000, tab. 1; Lazar 2004b, 35, fig. 26). At this group of products as a younger version of
least two of the depicted fish have an elongated the Lynceus group (Paolucci 1997, 41) which got
dorsal fin, while the details of the decoration on its name after a cup from Cologne, on which the
the body of the fish are less distinctive. myth of Lynceus is depicted (Harden et al. 1988,
198, no. 108). But the characteristics of the tech-
The motif on the Bakar bowl is almost iden- nique in which they were made, the use of en-
tical to that on the vessel from the Ernesto Wolf graved lines only for contours, and the combina-
collection published by E. M. Stern (2001, 156– tion of decoration and motifs clearly distinguish
8, no. 56) (figure/slika 57). The figure is turned in these products from the so-called Lynceus group.
the same direction and has an almost identical- Even more, recent finds from dated contexts
ly shaped and decorated head covering. The low- (Egypt, Ostia; Nenna 2003, 362) have shown
er edge of the clothing is depicted with an iden- that these vessels belong to an earlier period and
tical wavy line. Unfortunately, the Bakar bowl are at least half a century older than the above-
had been restored; hence the individual details mentioned group.
of the bust are somewhat unclear. A difference is
visible in the arrangement of the fish, which all Given the homogeneity of the group in
swim in the same direction on the Bakar bowl. terms of glass quality, the composition of the
A similar motif of large fish is also known from decoration and the characteristics of the engrav-
a deep bowl from the Corning Museum collec- ing technique, it can be concluded that these are
tion (Whitehouse 1997, no. 401; Nenna 2003, products of an Egyptian workshop that began
362, fig. 7), and also on a vessel fragment from production in the second half of the 2nd centu-
the site in Egypt (Nenna 2003, 362, fig. 8). ry and exported its products to Italy, the Adri-
atic coast, as well as the West (Nenna 2003, 362;
Naturally, it is possible to note details in the 2007, 141). Keeping in mind the recently col-
quality of workmanship in this small group of lected finds, different workshops can be distin-
products, which means they were created in the guished inside the ‘contour groove group’. These
same workshop but not manufactured by the use the same production technique, but distin-
same master glass worker. The motifs that ap- guish themselves through the motifs, pointing
pear on the vessels of this group from well-dat- to the existence of several specialized workshops
ed contexts (end of the 2nd and beginning of the for this group of products (Nenna 2003, 363, figs.
3rd centuries) are, as deduced by Marie-Dominiq- 9, 10).
ue Nenna, related to decorations on Egyptian
faience pottery (friezes with fish, ducks, baskets, It can be concluded with certainty that the
etc.), dated to the first two centuries AD (Nen- Bakar bowl and Ptuj bottle both belong to the
na 2003, 362). ‘contour-groove group’ according to their deco-
ration technique, while it is very likely that the
Of the 19 known products from this group, decorative motifs mean they were made in two
12 are from Egypt (Nenna 2007, 142) and one different workshops. Nevertheless, based on
each from Croatia (bowl – Bakar) and Slovenia analogies the Bakar bowl can most certainly be
(bottle – Ptuj). The bottle with the depiction of related to the bowls from the Ernesto Wolf col-
a lighthouse from Ptuj (see figure/slika 60) is un- lection, the Corning Museum of Glass and Teb-
tynis (Stern 2001, no. 56; Whitehouse 1997, no.
2 There are 125 species in 37 genera in the bream family. This 401; Nenna 2003, fig. 8), and it can be conclud-
family is common to almost all seas, while warmer seas ed that these are products with the same figural
present the centre of their population area. Breams are a
very important part of the economy.
single dorsal fin extending almost throughout the same time also directly relates it to the origi-
their backs. The motif of similar large fish is also nal workshops in Egypt (Lazar 2008c, 67).
depicted on a bottle from Ptuj, belonging to the
same group of products (Lazar and Tomanič Je- Originally, many researchers determined
vremov 2000, tab. 1; Lazar 2004b, 35, fig. 26). At this group of products as a younger version of
least two of the depicted fish have an elongated the Lynceus group (Paolucci 1997, 41) which got
dorsal fin, while the details of the decoration on its name after a cup from Cologne, on which the
the body of the fish are less distinctive. myth of Lynceus is depicted (Harden et al. 1988,
198, no. 108). But the characteristics of the tech-
The motif on the Bakar bowl is almost iden- nique in which they were made, the use of en-
tical to that on the vessel from the Ernesto Wolf graved lines only for contours, and the combina-
collection published by E. M. Stern (2001, 156– tion of decoration and motifs clearly distinguish
8, no. 56) (figure/slika 57). The figure is turned in these products from the so-called Lynceus group.
the same direction and has an almost identical- Even more, recent finds from dated contexts
ly shaped and decorated head covering. The low- (Egypt, Ostia; Nenna 2003, 362) have shown
er edge of the clothing is depicted with an iden- that these vessels belong to an earlier period and
tical wavy line. Unfortunately, the Bakar bowl are at least half a century older than the above-
had been restored; hence the individual details mentioned group.
of the bust are somewhat unclear. A difference is
visible in the arrangement of the fish, which all Given the homogeneity of the group in
swim in the same direction on the Bakar bowl. terms of glass quality, the composition of the
A similar motif of large fish is also known from decoration and the characteristics of the engrav-
a deep bowl from the Corning Museum collec- ing technique, it can be concluded that these are
tion (Whitehouse 1997, no. 401; Nenna 2003, products of an Egyptian workshop that began
362, fig. 7), and also on a vessel fragment from production in the second half of the 2nd centu-
the site in Egypt (Nenna 2003, 362, fig. 8). ry and exported its products to Italy, the Adri-
atic coast, as well as the West (Nenna 2003, 362;
Naturally, it is possible to note details in the 2007, 141). Keeping in mind the recently col-
quality of workmanship in this small group of lected finds, different workshops can be distin-
products, which means they were created in the guished inside the ‘contour groove group’. These
same workshop but not manufactured by the use the same production technique, but distin-
same master glass worker. The motifs that ap- guish themselves through the motifs, pointing
pear on the vessels of this group from well-dat- to the existence of several specialized workshops
ed contexts (end of the 2nd and beginning of the for this group of products (Nenna 2003, 363, figs.
3rd centuries) are, as deduced by Marie-Dominiq- 9, 10).
ue Nenna, related to decorations on Egyptian
faience pottery (friezes with fish, ducks, baskets, It can be concluded with certainty that the
etc.), dated to the first two centuries AD (Nen- Bakar bowl and Ptuj bottle both belong to the
na 2003, 362). ‘contour-groove group’ according to their deco-
ration technique, while it is very likely that the
Of the 19 known products from this group, decorative motifs mean they were made in two
12 are from Egypt (Nenna 2007, 142) and one different workshops. Nevertheless, based on
each from Croatia (bowl – Bakar) and Slovenia analogies the Bakar bowl can most certainly be
(bottle – Ptuj). The bottle with the depiction of related to the bowls from the Ernesto Wolf col-
a lighthouse from Ptuj (see figure/slika 60) is un- lection, the Corning Museum of Glass and Teb-
tynis (Stern 2001, no. 56; Whitehouse 1997, no.
2 There are 125 species in 37 genera in the bream family. This 401; Nenna 2003, fig. 8), and it can be conclud-
family is common to almost all seas, while warmer seas ed that these are products with the same figural
present the centre of their population area. Breams are a
very important part of the economy.
