Page 72 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
P. 72
ena lazar ■ pogled skozi steklo • a look through the glass 72 Colourless glass is known from the early pe- were excavated as settlement and grave finds on
riods of ancient glass-making. In the pre-Roman various sites from the Roman period in Slove-
periods, the manufacture of colourless glass can nia. They appear in archaeological contexts from
be seen as an attempt to imitate rock-crystal (Ig- the Flavian period onwards and are a very good
natiadou 2010, 419). The first peak period in the chronological marker for the late 1st and early 2nd
production of colourless glass products is the 8th centuries.
and 7th centuries in Assyria and the production
lasted for about less than two centuries. The next Figure 30 shows new settlement finds of col-
renowned group of colourless glass comes from ourless beakers with facet-cut honeycomb deco-
the Achaemenid period in Persia, which was also ration from Romula and Celeia which belong to
linked several times with ancient written sourc- groups I and II according to the first classifica-
es, i.e. a passage from the Acharnians of Aristo- tion made by Oliver (1984, 39).2 The facets can
phanes (Ignatiadou 201, 421; Trowbridge 1930). be cut like rhombs/diamonds or more round-
Today we know that this group of colourless ed, on some fragments we observe even elongat-
glass is distributed on both sides of the Aegean ed facets, and set in several lines over the body.
and the Black Sea coast and that most of the ves- The group can be compared with colourless glass
sels have been found in contexts of the 4th centu- beakers from France, defined as a group IN 10,
ry BC (Ignatiadou 2010, 425). dated to the last decades of the 1st century with
some finds known also in the first third of the 2nd
The popularity of colourless glass increased century (Foy et al. 2018, 18) More precisely frag-
again in the Roman period. During the late 1st ments fig. 30: 1, 3 can be defined in comparison
century and 2nd century, it was produced for with the finds from Augst (Augusta Raurica) as
high-quality tableware. Pliny the Elder also men- a form AR 45.1 or Lazar 3.3.4. (variant Isings 21;
tions these products and suggests that “the most Fünfschilling 2015, 313) while fig. 30: 2 can be de-
highly valued glass is colourless and transpar- fined as a form AR 45.1B – a type with a ridge
ent, as closely as possible resembling rock-crys- between the foot and the decorated body. The
tal” (NH 36,200). form is already known from the grave no. 289 in
Poetovio, which is dated to the Flavian–Hadri-
More about colourless glass and the differ- anic period according to the grave goods (Istenič
ent qualities of its production was researched by 2000, 99). Several small fragments of this type
C. Jackson and S. Paynter, where they discuss the of beaker are also known from the site of custom
compositional analysis of Roman colourless glass station Trojane (Atrans) and Roman villa rusti-
and explore it in the light of the organization of ca in Mošnje (PN 2959, 5408).3 This form is dat-
the Roman glass production (Jackson 2005, 763; ed in Augst (Fünfschilling 2015, 313) in the pe-
Paynter and Jackson 2019, 1533). riod between 70 and 120 AD and in Avenches
(Aventicum) between 100 and 150 AD (Bonnet
Working on Roman glassware in Slovenia Borel 1997, 30).
two decades ago, only a few rare examples of col-
ourless facet-cut vessels were recorded; a beak- Two beakers (fig. 30: 4–5) and several more
er from the grave in Poetovio and two shallow fragments have more straight walls and can be
bowls (Lazar 2003a, 93, 43), one from a grave in defined as a form AR 45.2 (Fünfschilling 2015,
Poetovio and the other excavated as a settlement 314) or a group IN 11 defined in France (Foy et al.
find in mansio Longaticum (Logatec). 2018, 19). The facets on the beakers are elongat-
Due to vast excavations in the past decades 2 Celeia – 1: S 212, 2: S 175, 3: S 184 (Regional Museum Cel-
and a new evaluation of the finds we can observe je); Romula – 4: S 1315, 5: 1316, 6: S 724, 7: S 1072 (Institu-
that the number of facet-cut and plain colourless te for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Slovenia, unit
tableware has increased considerably and sev- Novo Mesto) (Lazar 2021).
eral new forms were recognized. Various forms
of beakers and bowls with facet-cut decorations 3 The material is being prepared for the publication by the
author.
riods of ancient glass-making. In the pre-Roman various sites from the Roman period in Slove-
periods, the manufacture of colourless glass can nia. They appear in archaeological contexts from
be seen as an attempt to imitate rock-crystal (Ig- the Flavian period onwards and are a very good
natiadou 2010, 419). The first peak period in the chronological marker for the late 1st and early 2nd
production of colourless glass products is the 8th centuries.
and 7th centuries in Assyria and the production
lasted for about less than two centuries. The next Figure 30 shows new settlement finds of col-
renowned group of colourless glass comes from ourless beakers with facet-cut honeycomb deco-
the Achaemenid period in Persia, which was also ration from Romula and Celeia which belong to
linked several times with ancient written sourc- groups I and II according to the first classifica-
es, i.e. a passage from the Acharnians of Aristo- tion made by Oliver (1984, 39).2 The facets can
phanes (Ignatiadou 201, 421; Trowbridge 1930). be cut like rhombs/diamonds or more round-
Today we know that this group of colourless ed, on some fragments we observe even elongat-
glass is distributed on both sides of the Aegean ed facets, and set in several lines over the body.
and the Black Sea coast and that most of the ves- The group can be compared with colourless glass
sels have been found in contexts of the 4th centu- beakers from France, defined as a group IN 10,
ry BC (Ignatiadou 2010, 425). dated to the last decades of the 1st century with
some finds known also in the first third of the 2nd
The popularity of colourless glass increased century (Foy et al. 2018, 18) More precisely frag-
again in the Roman period. During the late 1st ments fig. 30: 1, 3 can be defined in comparison
century and 2nd century, it was produced for with the finds from Augst (Augusta Raurica) as
high-quality tableware. Pliny the Elder also men- a form AR 45.1 or Lazar 3.3.4. (variant Isings 21;
tions these products and suggests that “the most Fünfschilling 2015, 313) while fig. 30: 2 can be de-
highly valued glass is colourless and transpar- fined as a form AR 45.1B – a type with a ridge
ent, as closely as possible resembling rock-crys- between the foot and the decorated body. The
tal” (NH 36,200). form is already known from the grave no. 289 in
Poetovio, which is dated to the Flavian–Hadri-
More about colourless glass and the differ- anic period according to the grave goods (Istenič
ent qualities of its production was researched by 2000, 99). Several small fragments of this type
C. Jackson and S. Paynter, where they discuss the of beaker are also known from the site of custom
compositional analysis of Roman colourless glass station Trojane (Atrans) and Roman villa rusti-
and explore it in the light of the organization of ca in Mošnje (PN 2959, 5408).3 This form is dat-
the Roman glass production (Jackson 2005, 763; ed in Augst (Fünfschilling 2015, 313) in the pe-
Paynter and Jackson 2019, 1533). riod between 70 and 120 AD and in Avenches
(Aventicum) between 100 and 150 AD (Bonnet
Working on Roman glassware in Slovenia Borel 1997, 30).
two decades ago, only a few rare examples of col-
ourless facet-cut vessels were recorded; a beak- Two beakers (fig. 30: 4–5) and several more
er from the grave in Poetovio and two shallow fragments have more straight walls and can be
bowls (Lazar 2003a, 93, 43), one from a grave in defined as a form AR 45.2 (Fünfschilling 2015,
Poetovio and the other excavated as a settlement 314) or a group IN 11 defined in France (Foy et al.
find in mansio Longaticum (Logatec). 2018, 19). The facets on the beakers are elongat-
Due to vast excavations in the past decades 2 Celeia – 1: S 212, 2: S 175, 3: S 184 (Regional Museum Cel-
and a new evaluation of the finds we can observe je); Romula – 4: S 1315, 5: 1316, 6: S 724, 7: S 1072 (Institu-
that the number of facet-cut and plain colourless te for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Slovenia, unit
tableware has increased considerably and sev- Novo Mesto) (Lazar 2021).
eral new forms were recognized. Various forms
of beakers and bowls with facet-cut decorations 3 The material is being prepared for the publication by the
author.
