Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

MAREA

EGYPT

LATE ROMAN/ EARLY BYZANTINE GLASS
FROM THE BASILICA IN MAREA

Renata Kucharczyk

Another season of excavations at the basilica
yielded glass fragments in large quantities
but of limited variety.1 They are char-
acteristic of the glassware of the Late
Roman/Early Byzantine period, that is,
from the 4th to the 7th century, with
a concentration coming in the 5th and 6th
centuries AD. The record is dominated by
closed vessels in the shape of bottles of
various types, sizes and volumes. Next in
quantity are lamps. Other standard forms of
that period, including open forms, like
wineglasses and everyday tablewares, are
also represented. They are, however,
definitely less numerous.
The vast majority of fragments represent
free-blown vessels finished with the use of
a pontil. Most of them are plain. The orna-
mentation, if any, is simple and restricted to

applied thread, painted elements or pinched
decoration. A few shards bear a pattern
executed in a ribbed mould. The recorded
fragments were made of either greenish or
greenish-blue glass. In many cases the color
of the glass is illegible; the shards are
heavily weathered, giving a black or milky
layer with peacock iridescence. The glass
contains bubbles and impurities.
Uniform glass quality, vessel shapes and
finishing indicate that the vessels were all
manufactured in one region; most probably,
they represent local production. The excep-
tional appearance of fragments of a bottle
with elaborate trailed-on ornamentation
suggests an import.
Surprisingly enough, there is still no
evidence for the use of windowpanes of any
kind.

BOTTLES

More than 120 pieces — the largest group
this season — were attributed to different-
size bottles, jugs and flasks. These containers
are represented mostly by their necks and
bases [Fig. 1]. Prevalent are plain wares either
with long or short necks. Among them the
most characteristic are funnel-neck bottles
[Fig. 1:1-6].2 A considerable number of
the bases and necks is wide, indicating large-

sized vessels [Fig. 1:13]. Small containers,
such as this one-handled jug, were
represented by only a few shards [Fig. 1:7].
Although, these ordinary and undoubt-
edly mass-produced items were usually left
undecorated, some pieces bear varied types
of ornamentation. The most common con-
sisted of horizontally applied brownish-red
and green threads [Fig. 1:4,6]. A number of

1 See also report from the previous season: R. Kucharczyk, "Glass finds from the Basilica in Marea, 2004", PAM XVI.
Reports 2004 (2005), 55-59.
2 Id., "Marea 2001: Windowpanes and other glass finds", PAM XIII. Reports 2001 (2002), 65-71, Fig. 1:1-3.

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