Amphoriskos

  • Eastern Mediterranean, possibly Rhodes
  • 6th - 5th century B.C.
  • Glass
  • H-8.3
Catalogue Entry

Vessel made from cobalt core-formed glass. The body swells, while the rounded shoulders rise to a cylindrical neck with a mouth rim attached to its top. The base has a small lump-shaped foot. Handles made of turquoise glass have been attached at each side of the vessel, running from the shoulder to just beneath the mouth rim. A spiral pattern of yellow and turquoise glass wraps around the vessel from shoulder to body, creating a zigzag pattern that moves above and below the center of the body. The surface shows traces of the grooves made when this pattern was applied. Yellow glass threads have been wrapped around the mouth area and the base edge. This type of constricted or rounded base vessel was made to be placed on a cylindrical stand made of gold, glass, or ceramic. This shape is based on the Greek ceramic form known as an amphoriskos and was probably used to hold perfumed oil which were extremely expensive and rare during this period.