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Classical Antiquities :
Glass and Bronze Pendants : Roman Glass Fragment Set in Pendant
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Roman Glass Fragment Set in Pendant - FJ.3766
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean
Circa: 100
AD
to 300
AD
Collection: Classical Antiquities
Medium: Glass, Gold
Additional Information: This Roman glass fragment is set in a pendant of 18-karat gold.
$460.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Of all the technological achievements of
civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses
as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been
used to create jewelry, works of art, and
functional objects of great beauty. In the bible,
the value of glass is equated with that of gold
and silver, and it was indeed treated by the
ancients as a precious substance. The origins of
glass are lost in the mists of time, but the
Egyptians in the 4th millennium B.C most
probably invented it. The roman naturalist Pliny
attributes the discovery of glassmaking to the
Phoenicians, and the cities of the Levant were
famous as centers for the glass trade. The
earliest glass was opaque, colored in a variety of
rich hues that often imitated gems like lapis and
emerald. The Egyptians used it extensively in
jewelry and made little distinction between the
genuine and the artificial gems. The art of
glassblowing and the development of transparent
glass both date to the roman period. From
centers like Tyre and Alexandria, glass vessels
were exported throughout the empire and as Far
East as Persia and china. The Romans colored
their glass in myriad shades, favoring blue, green
and yellow, as well as clear. One of the most
fascinating properties of glass is that, through
oxidization, it acquires a rich iridescent patina
with age. Brilliant as a peacock's tail, this glass
jewel is a piece of history that appeals directly to
the contemporary eye.
- (FJ.3766)
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