DOI Artikel:
Wainwright, Gerald: Roman glass from Kom Washim
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9427#0074
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PLANCHES XXXVII-XXXVIII.
ROMAN GLASS FROM KOM WASHIM.
In July 1921 a remarkable find of glass was raade at Kom Washim on the
érige of the désert on the north-west side of the Fayum. This was the ancient
city of Karanis which was founded «when Greek influence was fairly established
in the Fayum, and ended with the relapse of the northern région into rnarsh
in the unquiet times which marked the close of Byzantine, and the beginning of
Arab rule in Egypt1'^.
It consisted of seventy pièces of glass, practically ail in perfect condition,
and contained in ten wooclen boxes, elaborately decorated in a rough way and
originally secured by locks. The glass from this site is generally found in some
sort of réceptacle, whether boxes, pottery jars or baskets, hence it cornes in its
original condition without having sufTered from exposure to the soil. This of
course makes it of far greater value to the student, but not to the art collector,
who treasures ancient glass for the iridiscence produced by the decay of the
surface.
So large a find as this can hardly be attributed to a private house, but rather
to the stock of a dealer. This is made the more probable by the facts that the
contents of one box, No. 67092, were packed with straw and that the owner
was accustomed to lock up his goods. The most common of our types of glass
was probably used for oil or unguents, yet it is hardly likely that the ancient
owner was an unguent seller, for not only did he stock thèse, but also various
shapcs which could hardly have been used for such a purpose; i. e. types 3, 1 0,
etc. Moreover a chemical analysis by Mr. A. Lucas of the débris contained in
some of the giasses shewed 110 signs of grease or fatty matter. Hence it is pro-
bable that we are dealing with the stock in trade of a glass-merchant of about
the year koo A.D. who catered for the average needs of the provincial popula-
tion of that period.
Thus it is, that in the Kom Washim find we are dealing, not with the shew
pièces of glass, but with just the ordinary vessels in everyday use. For this reason
no doubt there are not to be found in our group any of the beautiful giasses
Grênfell, Huxt and Hogartii, Fayum Towns and îhcir Papijri, p. 29.
PLANCHES XXXVII-XXXVIII.
ROMAN GLASS FROM KOM WASHIM.
In July 1921 a remarkable find of glass was raade at Kom Washim on the
érige of the désert on the north-west side of the Fayum. This was the ancient
city of Karanis which was founded «when Greek influence was fairly established
in the Fayum, and ended with the relapse of the northern région into rnarsh
in the unquiet times which marked the close of Byzantine, and the beginning of
Arab rule in Egypt1'^.
It consisted of seventy pièces of glass, practically ail in perfect condition,
and contained in ten wooclen boxes, elaborately decorated in a rough way and
originally secured by locks. The glass from this site is generally found in some
sort of réceptacle, whether boxes, pottery jars or baskets, hence it cornes in its
original condition without having sufTered from exposure to the soil. This of
course makes it of far greater value to the student, but not to the art collector,
who treasures ancient glass for the iridiscence produced by the decay of the
surface.
So large a find as this can hardly be attributed to a private house, but rather
to the stock of a dealer. This is made the more probable by the facts that the
contents of one box, No. 67092, were packed with straw and that the owner
was accustomed to lock up his goods. The most common of our types of glass
was probably used for oil or unguents, yet it is hardly likely that the ancient
owner was an unguent seller, for not only did he stock thèse, but also various
shapcs which could hardly have been used for such a purpose; i. e. types 3, 1 0,
etc. Moreover a chemical analysis by Mr. A. Lucas of the débris contained in
some of the giasses shewed 110 signs of grease or fatty matter. Hence it is pro-
bable that we are dealing with the stock in trade of a glass-merchant of about
the year koo A.D. who catered for the average needs of the provincial popula-
tion of that period.
Thus it is, that in the Kom Washim find we are dealing, not with the shew
pièces of glass, but with just the ordinary vessels in everyday use. For this reason
no doubt there are not to be found in our group any of the beautiful giasses
Grênfell, Huxt and Hogartii, Fayum Towns and îhcir Papijri, p. 29.