COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
MMA_.74.51.312
amicoid
MMA_.74.51.312
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2002
aly
2002
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
oty
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
Object Type
false
Description:
Although the making of glass vessels first arose in Mesopotamia and Egypt in the Late Bronze Age, during the subsequent "dark age" (1200?900 B.C.), very little, if any, glass was produced. When the glass industry revived in the later part of the eighth century B.C., new centers of manufacture emerged in Phoenicia and Assyria. Their products are markedly different from Late Bronze Age glass. One major advance was the production of naturally colored cast vessels, like this alabastron. Such glass vessels , while still luxury items, were a cheaper alternative to ones made from materials such as rock crystal or obsidian. The technique was probably developed by Phoenician craftsmen who progressed from casting inlays; their skill in carving semiprecious stone was also transferred to the working and decorating of glass. The closed forms, such as this alabastron , were cast as solid blanks, then cut down, drilled, and polished to achieve their final shapes. Although surviving examples are relatively few in number, they have been found across the ancient world from Assyria to Spain, as Phoenician merchants doubtless played a part in their wide distribution .
opd
Although the making of glass vessels first arose in Mesopotamia and Egypt in the Late Bronze Age, during the subsequent "dark age" (1200?900 B.C.), very little, if any, glass was produced. When the glass industry revived in the later part of the eighth century B.C., new centers of manufacture emerged in Phoenicia and Assyria. Their products are markedly different from Late Bronze Age glass. One major advance was the production of naturally colored cast vessels, like this alabastron. Such glass vessels , while still luxury items, were a cheaper alternative to ones made from materials such as rock crystal or obsidian. The technique was probably developed by Phoenician craftsmen who progressed from casting inlays; their skill in carving semiprecious stone was also transferred to the working and decorating of glass. The closed forms, such as this alabastron , were cast as solid blanks, then cut down, drilled, and polished to achieve their final shapes. Although surviving examples are relatively few in number, they have been found across the ancient world from Assyria to Spain, as Phoenician merchants doubtless played a part in their wide distribution .
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
European; Mediterranean; Phoenician
crc
European; Mediterranean; Phoenician
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Probably Phoenician
crt
Probably Phoenician
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Glass alabastron
otn
Glass alabastron
Title
false
View:
Principal view
rid
Principal view
View
false
Creation Date:
late 8th?6th century B.C.
oct
late 8th?6th century B.C.
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
0
ocs
0
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
0
oce
0
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Glass
omd
Glass
Materials and Techniques
false
Style or Period:
Archaic
std
Archaic
Style or Period
false
Creation Place:
From Cyprus
ocp
From Cyprus
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 7 1/16 in. (17.9 cm), D. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm)
met
H. 7 1/16 in. (17.9 cm), D. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
oon
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York
oop
New York, New York
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
74.51.312
ooa
74.51.312
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874-76
ooc
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874-76
Credit Line
false
Copyright:
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art . All rights reserved.
ors
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art . All rights reserved.
Copyright
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp"target="_new">http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp</a>
Rights
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
MMA_.h1_74.51.312.tif
ril
MMA_.h1_74.51.312.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false