The
production of Roman glass developed from Hellenistic technical traditions, beginning with coloured cast glass vessels.
During the 1st century A.D., the glass industry rapidly
developed technically and artistically with the introduction of glass blowing.
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| Roman Glass Bowl from 1st century B.C. The J. Paul Getty Museum |
Bird-shaped glass perfume bottles have been found in many regions of the Roman Empire. The scented oils were sealed inside the glass vessels.
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| Bird-shaped glass perfume bottles, have been found in many regions of
the Roman Empire. The scented oils were sealed inside the glass vessels.1st century CE. |
In the wreckage of a 2,000-year-old sunk Roman cargo ship, discovered in 2012, found off the coast of Italy, glassware in
perfect condition was recovered.
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| In the wreckage of a 2,000-year-old sunk Roman cargo ship, discovered in 2012, .found off the coast of Italy, glassware in perfect condition was recovered |
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Glass skyphos with white cameo overlay, dated to the 1st Century AD. on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples
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| The Lycurgus Cup, a Roman glass 4th-century cage cup was "perhaps made
in Alexandria" or Rome in about 290–325 AD. Same cup, from front and
back. Present location British Museum, Room 41 |
The Lycurgus Cup, a Roman glass 4th-century cage cup was "perhaps made in Alexandria" or Rome in about 290–325 AD.
The cup is made of a dichroic glass, which has a different colour depending on whether or not light is passing through it.
Featuring a scene with King Lycurgus of Thrace, the cup appears green when lit from the front but red when lit from behind.
The dichroic effect is achieved by making the glass with tiny proportions of nanoparticles of gold and silver dispersed in colloidal form throughout the glass material.
