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This gorgeous silver ewer surely would have been the centerpiece of elegant diner parties hosted many centuries ago. In fact, this vessel would not appear out of place in a modern house. Scenes of everyday life depicted on Roman mosaics represent fancy feast replete with elegant silver platters and ewers such as this one. Most likely, wine or water would have been held inside and dispensed to the thirsty guests. The ovoid body rests on a slightly flared foot and tapers into a cylindrical neck with a flaring rim that facilitates the smooth pouring of liquids. The handle has been reattached.
Such a work, crafted from an inherently precious metal, would have represented the epitome of domestic luxury, as such a piece would even now. Today, sets of finely polished silverware remain one of the most integral elements of fancy diner parties where the hosts hope to impress their guest. We can assume that anyone lucky enough to be invited to a diner party hosted by the well-to-do family that originally owned this work would have been quite impressed by the masterful workmanship of this dish. We can picture a servant pouring out wine from this luminous vessel as the hosts and guests sat around the diner table, chatting and enjoying themselves during the transitional period from the end of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the Byzantine era.
- (X.0167)
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