Page 40 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
P. 40
ena lazar ■ pogled skozi steklo • a look through the glass 40 individual variants. Conical glasses predominate tury, the demand was in great decline and most
(Lazar 2003a, 117–20) and hemispherical bowls of it could be supplied by local and nearby Pan-
with cut, curved rims (fig. 35: 3.8.6.–3.10.3.) and nonian production centres, while imports from
flat, slightly concave and ring bases also appear. the Rhine valley declined. Expensive objects ap-
The rare decoration consisted only of horizon- peared only exceptionally.
tal wheel-cut lines, later joined by applied drops
of glass in contrasting colours and indentations. The regression continued in the 4th and 5th
New forms of the late Roman period were con- centuries. It is difficult to establish to what ex-
ical lamps and lamps with a handle, although tent trade was still extant, and to what extent
it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between local industry was active in supplying at least
beakers and lamps (p. 198). the immediate vicinity. The quality of the glass
products was poorer: the walls were full of glass
There are few storage vessels from this peri- bubbles, and an olive green colour predominat-
od. Jugs were widespread in the first two centu- ed. Conditions in larger towns at that time cer-
ries, and their use extended up to the first half tainly enabled the continuation of tradition and
of the 3rd century, after which their quantity de- the use of glass vessels, which in the smaller set-
clined drastically. Comparisons with bottles tlements had almost died out because of poor
show quite well that the relationship between economic conditions.
these forms was fairly balanced sometime in
the mid-3rd century, after which bottles became Glass production or more precisely
predominant. glass-blowing was present on the territory of
present-day Slovenia from the 2nd century on-
Bottles exhibited a relatively uniform rep- wards. It probably did not extend beyond a local
resentation from the second half of the 1st centu- framework, and the products primarily met the
ry onwards and continued to the end of the 4th demand for objects of everyday use such as balsa-
century. The comparison of the two sub-groups maria, beakers, bottles, and window glass.
has shown a predominance of bottles with han-
dles in the first two centuries and their marked The earliest evidence of glass-blowing or
decline in the 3rd and 4th centuries. In later cen- perhaps of interest for a newly developed tech-
turies bottles without handles predominate. nique in glass-working in the Adriatic area is
represented by oil lamps depicting a glass fur-
Valuable vessels of the late Roman period, nace, the latest and best-preserved lamp was
such as bowls with wheel-cut figural decoration, found lately in Slovenia (Lazar 2004b, 27, fig. 15).
diatreta products, and those with gold medal-
lions, are relatively rare in Slovenia. Those that The lamp (see figure/slika 18) was found in
are known are preserved only as modest frag- a grave at the site Križišče near Spodnje Škofije,
ments (Mikl Curk 1963, 492), while there were a few kilometres from Koper (Lazar 2005a, 17;
some important objects of gold glass found 2006a).4 The relief on an excellently preserved
in Croatia. The finds of the gold glasses from clay oil lamp represents a glass furnace and
Štrbinci should be mentioned (Migotti 2003). glass-workers beside it (Lazar 2004b, 28, fig. 15;
One fragment represents a married couple and 2005a, 17). The motif is the same as that on the
is dated to the second third of the 4th century (p. only two other oil lamps depicting a glass fur-
36) while the second one with a family scene and nace – from Asseria (modern Benkovac in Croa-
an inscription VIVATIS FELICIS IN DEO is tia) (Abramić 1959, 149) and Ferrara (Italy) (Bal-
from the second half of the 4th century (p. 61). doni 1987, 22).
Political conflicts aggravated economic con- The decorated disk of the lamp shows re-
ditions in the 3rd century and caused considera- lief with a glass furnace flanked by a pair of
ble changes, which were soon reflected in the glass-workers, one of whom is engaged in blow-
glass industry. From the second half of the cen-
4 See also the chapter ‘Roman Oil Lamp from Slovenia De-
picting a Glass Furnace’ in this volume.
(Lazar 2003a, 117–20) and hemispherical bowls of it could be supplied by local and nearby Pan-
with cut, curved rims (fig. 35: 3.8.6.–3.10.3.) and nonian production centres, while imports from
flat, slightly concave and ring bases also appear. the Rhine valley declined. Expensive objects ap-
The rare decoration consisted only of horizon- peared only exceptionally.
tal wheel-cut lines, later joined by applied drops
of glass in contrasting colours and indentations. The regression continued in the 4th and 5th
New forms of the late Roman period were con- centuries. It is difficult to establish to what ex-
ical lamps and lamps with a handle, although tent trade was still extant, and to what extent
it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between local industry was active in supplying at least
beakers and lamps (p. 198). the immediate vicinity. The quality of the glass
products was poorer: the walls were full of glass
There are few storage vessels from this peri- bubbles, and an olive green colour predominat-
od. Jugs were widespread in the first two centu- ed. Conditions in larger towns at that time cer-
ries, and their use extended up to the first half tainly enabled the continuation of tradition and
of the 3rd century, after which their quantity de- the use of glass vessels, which in the smaller set-
clined drastically. Comparisons with bottles tlements had almost died out because of poor
show quite well that the relationship between economic conditions.
these forms was fairly balanced sometime in
the mid-3rd century, after which bottles became Glass production or more precisely
predominant. glass-blowing was present on the territory of
present-day Slovenia from the 2nd century on-
Bottles exhibited a relatively uniform rep- wards. It probably did not extend beyond a local
resentation from the second half of the 1st centu- framework, and the products primarily met the
ry onwards and continued to the end of the 4th demand for objects of everyday use such as balsa-
century. The comparison of the two sub-groups maria, beakers, bottles, and window glass.
has shown a predominance of bottles with han-
dles in the first two centuries and their marked The earliest evidence of glass-blowing or
decline in the 3rd and 4th centuries. In later cen- perhaps of interest for a newly developed tech-
turies bottles without handles predominate. nique in glass-working in the Adriatic area is
represented by oil lamps depicting a glass fur-
Valuable vessels of the late Roman period, nace, the latest and best-preserved lamp was
such as bowls with wheel-cut figural decoration, found lately in Slovenia (Lazar 2004b, 27, fig. 15).
diatreta products, and those with gold medal-
lions, are relatively rare in Slovenia. Those that The lamp (see figure/slika 18) was found in
are known are preserved only as modest frag- a grave at the site Križišče near Spodnje Škofije,
ments (Mikl Curk 1963, 492), while there were a few kilometres from Koper (Lazar 2005a, 17;
some important objects of gold glass found 2006a).4 The relief on an excellently preserved
in Croatia. The finds of the gold glasses from clay oil lamp represents a glass furnace and
Štrbinci should be mentioned (Migotti 2003). glass-workers beside it (Lazar 2004b, 28, fig. 15;
One fragment represents a married couple and 2005a, 17). The motif is the same as that on the
is dated to the second third of the 4th century (p. only two other oil lamps depicting a glass fur-
36) while the second one with a family scene and nace – from Asseria (modern Benkovac in Croa-
an inscription VIVATIS FELICIS IN DEO is tia) (Abramić 1959, 149) and Ferrara (Italy) (Bal-
from the second half of the 4th century (p. 61). doni 1987, 22).
Political conflicts aggravated economic con- The decorated disk of the lamp shows re-
ditions in the 3rd century and caused considera- lief with a glass furnace flanked by a pair of
ble changes, which were soon reflected in the glass-workers, one of whom is engaged in blow-
glass industry. From the second half of the cen-
4 See also the chapter ‘Roman Oil Lamp from Slovenia De-
picting a Glass Furnace’ in this volume.
