DOI Artikel:
Ryz̆ova, Julia: Glass beakers of the 1st-2nd centuries AD with "lotus bud" relief from Chersonesos
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41866#0232
Julia Ryz ova
Chersones
GLASS BEAKERS OF THE 1ST-2ND CENTURIES AD
WITH “LOTUS BUD” RELIEF FROM CHERSONESOS
Among glass vessels of the lst-2nd centuries AD recovered during excavations
in Chersonesos there is a small group of mould-blown beakers. A distinctive
feature of these beakers is ornamentation consisting of so-called “lotus buds” in
relief that are arranged in a checkerboard fashion. The lotus buds also occur in
more complicated relief with a central boss. In addition, sometimes there are
small round bulging points between lotus buds.
Unfortunately, we do not have any complete vessels, but general shapes may
be reconstructed on the basis of surviving fragments and by parallels found within
the museum collections at Chersonesos and elsewhere.
Typically these vessels are conical beakers with straight walls that taper
towards the base; the rim is cut and roughly polished. Concentric circles are
impressed as well as in relief on the bottom. Often there is a cut grave line below
the rim.
The thickness of the walls measures 0.1-0.3 cm, and the height of these beakers
varies from 8.5 to 17 cm. As regards the beakers that were found in Chersonesos,
the height of their surviving fragments is 3.5-9.2 cm. On the basis of the surviving
fragments we can determine the diameter of the bottom (from 3.8 to 5.0 cm) and
the rim (6.0 and 10 cm).
The beakers with lotus buds were blown in moulds that were made of stone
or clay. The moulds included four pieces — three for the walls and one for the
bottom, as the positions of the seams indicate [Kunina 1997, 275, cataloque 118].
The colour of Chersonesos glass vessels is either light-blue or olive. But it is
necessary to note the very high quality of the material: the glass is bright,
consistent, without bubbles, the surface of the vessels is almost free of iridescence,
which is rare for most Chersonesos glass.
Since these vessels are noted for their unusual decoration, it is possible to
establish a typology and to distinguish four groups.
Chersones
GLASS BEAKERS OF THE 1ST-2ND CENTURIES AD
WITH “LOTUS BUD” RELIEF FROM CHERSONESOS
Among glass vessels of the lst-2nd centuries AD recovered during excavations
in Chersonesos there is a small group of mould-blown beakers. A distinctive
feature of these beakers is ornamentation consisting of so-called “lotus buds” in
relief that are arranged in a checkerboard fashion. The lotus buds also occur in
more complicated relief with a central boss. In addition, sometimes there are
small round bulging points between lotus buds.
Unfortunately, we do not have any complete vessels, but general shapes may
be reconstructed on the basis of surviving fragments and by parallels found within
the museum collections at Chersonesos and elsewhere.
Typically these vessels are conical beakers with straight walls that taper
towards the base; the rim is cut and roughly polished. Concentric circles are
impressed as well as in relief on the bottom. Often there is a cut grave line below
the rim.
The thickness of the walls measures 0.1-0.3 cm, and the height of these beakers
varies from 8.5 to 17 cm. As regards the beakers that were found in Chersonesos,
the height of their surviving fragments is 3.5-9.2 cm. On the basis of the surviving
fragments we can determine the diameter of the bottom (from 3.8 to 5.0 cm) and
the rim (6.0 and 10 cm).
The beakers with lotus buds were blown in moulds that were made of stone
or clay. The moulds included four pieces — three for the walls and one for the
bottom, as the positions of the seams indicate [Kunina 1997, 275, cataloque 118].
The colour of Chersonesos glass vessels is either light-blue or olive. But it is
necessary to note the very high quality of the material: the glass is bright,
consistent, without bubbles, the surface of the vessels is almost free of iridescence,
which is rare for most Chersonesos glass.
Since these vessels are noted for their unusual decoration, it is possible to
establish a typology and to distinguish four groups.