Ointmentary. Rome, 2nd century A.D.

Ointmentary. Rome, 2nd century AD.
Glass, with iridescent patina.
Intact.
Provenance: Georges Savès collection.
Measurements: 8.3 cm (height).

This ointment has a slender neck ending in a mouth with an exvasated lip, as well as a narrowing in relation to the body, of utilitarian concept to be able to graduate the exit of the face essence. Its body is globular.
The use of glass began to become widespread from the first century AD, after the discovery of the technique of blowing around 40 BC, in the eastern part of the Mediterranean coast. This technique was a great revolution, and immediately spread rapidly. Blown glass offered great advantages over other materials because it did not change the taste of the food it contained and was more impermeable than terracotta. In addition, the blowing technique allowed the manufacture of pieces of various shapes and sizes, and also a faster production. On the other hand, the glass pieces were easier to clean, so it will soon become the favorite material for domestic use.

This piece comes from the collection of Georges Savès (1908-1985), a French numismatist and collector with a deep vocation for archaeological study. Heir to a family tradition of collecting, he devoted himself fully from the 1950s to historical and numismatic research, especially on Toulouse and Gallic coins. Throughout his life, he assembled an eclectic collection of archaeological, ethnographic and artistic pieces, enriched in 1966 with the acquisition of part of the Roger Bédiat collection. Author of specialized studies, his legacy remains a reference in the academic and patrimonial fields.