Page 67 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
P. 67
uing into the Neronian period (Berger 1960, in white and light blue opaque glass (Grose 2017, colour ed monochrome glass of the ear ly imper ial per iod in romula (pannonia) / 67
24–30). Some fragments are also known from 82).
Salona (Buljević 2016, 64, dark green and blue
glass vessels). Black (appearing) glass vessels
(figure/slika 29)
At Cosa, dated examples of translucent Although black glass vessels, the term is used as a
and opaque fines wares come from five deposits “terminus technicus” accepted by glass specialists
(Grose 2017, 81). The earliest is deposit IV (be- (Cosyns 2015), are often studied separately from
fore 25–15 BC) associated with the reoccupation other glasses, I have included it in this chapter
of the town in Augustan times. Significantly, since several fragments of mould-made vessels
the opaque ware in light blue and white is rep- were recorded among the glass assemblage.
resented in this deposit. As Grose argues, they
can represent some of the earliest products of the But what is black glass and how do we de-
Roman glass industry or they were products im- fine it? Thanks to the research of Cosyns in the
ported from the eastern Mediterranean (2017, past decades the Roman black glass from Bri-
81–2). tannia, Gallia Belgica and Germania Inferi-
or was studied within several projects (Cosyns
Deposits V and VI are dated to the period 2011; Cosyns and Hanut 2005; Cosyns and-
of cca 25–15 BC to cca 40–45 AD, and forms of Fontaine 2009). It is known that black glass
carinated bowls, pyxides and a bowl with an out- vessels are present in the 1st century AD and
turned rim are represented in these strata (Grose again from the middle of the 2nd to the middle
2017, 81, pl. 8: 134, 136, 137, 139; pl. 9: 154), some of the 3rd century (Cosyns 2015, 190). Black glass
of them come from a shop storeroom destroyed jewellery is introduced later and is in use well
in ca 40–45 AD. Vessels of this group presented into the 5th century AD (Cosyns 2006; Jelinčić
in deposits VII and VIII (before approx. 50–55 2009). In addition to the chronological, geo-
AD) prove the production of this group of glass graphical and typological distribution analy-
vessels until the mid. 1st century or even later, but sis of these products, also the archaeometry and
not after the last quarter of the 1st century (Grose study of the glass compositions are extremely
2017, 82). valuable (Cagno et al. 2014).
Monochrome opaque-coloured fine wares The black glass vessels were produced with
Glasses of this group are made of opaque li- various techniques. In the 1st century (from Ti-
ght blue glass. There is also one very deteriora- berian to the Flavian period) they were mould-
ted base fragment of red glass, but it is questi- made and free-blown, but in the second period
onable if it can be included in this group. The (mid-2nd to the last quarter of the 3rd century)
opaque glass vessels are represented only with these glasses were free-blown, with very few ex-
one form, a bowl, with two variants: they have ceptions (Cosyns 2015, 191).
hemispherical or carinated walls (figure/slika
28: 7–8). As written by J. Bayley (1999, 90, 92), black
glass is glass that is so densely coloured that it is
The dating of the opaque vessels is the first opaque and appears black. Only with the assis-
half of the 1st century AD. Judging from the glass tance of strong transmitted illumination in this
products found in Cosa (Grose 2017, 81) in the black glass, one colour will become visible (Co-
deposit dated before 25–15 BC their production syns 2015, 191).
may have begun already in the last decades of the
1st century BC. Prototypes for the Roman mon- The vessels from Romula are made of deep
ochrome opaque vessels may have been the Hel- violet or deep brown glass that looks like black.
lenistic products of the 1st century BC also made All the vessels belong to mould-made products
and several of them have distinctive angular
lathe-turned forms (Lazar 2019b, 30). The pro-
24–30). Some fragments are also known from 82).
Salona (Buljević 2016, 64, dark green and blue
glass vessels). Black (appearing) glass vessels
(figure/slika 29)
At Cosa, dated examples of translucent Although black glass vessels, the term is used as a
and opaque fines wares come from five deposits “terminus technicus” accepted by glass specialists
(Grose 2017, 81). The earliest is deposit IV (be- (Cosyns 2015), are often studied separately from
fore 25–15 BC) associated with the reoccupation other glasses, I have included it in this chapter
of the town in Augustan times. Significantly, since several fragments of mould-made vessels
the opaque ware in light blue and white is rep- were recorded among the glass assemblage.
resented in this deposit. As Grose argues, they
can represent some of the earliest products of the But what is black glass and how do we de-
Roman glass industry or they were products im- fine it? Thanks to the research of Cosyns in the
ported from the eastern Mediterranean (2017, past decades the Roman black glass from Bri-
81–2). tannia, Gallia Belgica and Germania Inferi-
or was studied within several projects (Cosyns
Deposits V and VI are dated to the period 2011; Cosyns and Hanut 2005; Cosyns and-
of cca 25–15 BC to cca 40–45 AD, and forms of Fontaine 2009). It is known that black glass
carinated bowls, pyxides and a bowl with an out- vessels are present in the 1st century AD and
turned rim are represented in these strata (Grose again from the middle of the 2nd to the middle
2017, 81, pl. 8: 134, 136, 137, 139; pl. 9: 154), some of the 3rd century (Cosyns 2015, 190). Black glass
of them come from a shop storeroom destroyed jewellery is introduced later and is in use well
in ca 40–45 AD. Vessels of this group presented into the 5th century AD (Cosyns 2006; Jelinčić
in deposits VII and VIII (before approx. 50–55 2009). In addition to the chronological, geo-
AD) prove the production of this group of glass graphical and typological distribution analy-
vessels until the mid. 1st century or even later, but sis of these products, also the archaeometry and
not after the last quarter of the 1st century (Grose study of the glass compositions are extremely
2017, 82). valuable (Cagno et al. 2014).
Monochrome opaque-coloured fine wares The black glass vessels were produced with
Glasses of this group are made of opaque li- various techniques. In the 1st century (from Ti-
ght blue glass. There is also one very deteriora- berian to the Flavian period) they were mould-
ted base fragment of red glass, but it is questi- made and free-blown, but in the second period
onable if it can be included in this group. The (mid-2nd to the last quarter of the 3rd century)
opaque glass vessels are represented only with these glasses were free-blown, with very few ex-
one form, a bowl, with two variants: they have ceptions (Cosyns 2015, 191).
hemispherical or carinated walls (figure/slika
28: 7–8). As written by J. Bayley (1999, 90, 92), black
glass is glass that is so densely coloured that it is
The dating of the opaque vessels is the first opaque and appears black. Only with the assis-
half of the 1st century AD. Judging from the glass tance of strong transmitted illumination in this
products found in Cosa (Grose 2017, 81) in the black glass, one colour will become visible (Co-
deposit dated before 25–15 BC their production syns 2015, 191).
may have begun already in the last decades of the
1st century BC. Prototypes for the Roman mon- The vessels from Romula are made of deep
ochrome opaque vessels may have been the Hel- violet or deep brown glass that looks like black.
lenistic products of the 1st century BC also made All the vessels belong to mould-made products
and several of them have distinctive angular
lathe-turned forms (Lazar 2019b, 30). The pro-
