Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

globular or pear-shaped. Long and narrow
cylindrical necks, some of them with uneven
walls and wavy, asymmetrical rims, widening
towards a most probably globular body,
represent bathing oil flasks [Fig. 1:7—9).
These handleless containers for cosmetic use
were rather roughly fashioned. The apparent
careless execution may indicate cheap local
production.
Bases form a significant component of
the assemblage. A noteworthy number was
fashioned of one or two horizontally wound
trails forming a distinctive footring
[Fig. 1:11-13]. The completed trail was
flattened slightly to ensure a stable footing.
Some of the bases, made of dark blue and
green glass, are neatly worked. While all of
them came from either jugs or flasks, this
type of base may have also been used on other
forms, such as wide-mouthed bowls and
beakers.
Vessels furnished with such bases must
have been especially attractive when the dark,
contrasting color of the coil was also used to
form handles and rims on a light, transparent
body. Contextual dating of our fragments
suggests the end of the 4th and beginning of
the 5th century when such color
combinations were particularly popular. It has
usually been supposed that vessels with trail-
wound bases are of Egyptian origin.
Significant quantities of these bases excavated
in the Alexandrian region undoubtedly

acknowledge this notion and point to the
local glasshouses (recorded also in Marina
el-Alamein (Kucharczyk 2010: Fig. 1:11-12,
in this volume); Marea, Kucharczyk 2008:
132, Fig. 46:25, Karanis, Harden 1936: 256,
263, no. 792; attested at Carthage, Sternini
1999: 98-100, Figs 116-132 and on the
Palatine, Sternini 2001: 68-70, Fig. 20,
particularly multiple-coil bases).
Another type of base was formed by
pulling down small points of glass from the
basal edge [Fig. 1:14—16). The “toes” are
quite regular in shape and height. They form
a ring which was intended to give more
stability to the objects, but was also meant as
a decorative device. Most of the fragments
show fine workmanship. However, their
fragmentary nature does not permit the exact
forms to be identified; they undoubtedly had
their use in the bath for pouring. “Toe” bases
have been found on a variety of vessels,
including pitchers and sprinklers, used for
perfumes and oils, and cups (cf. sprinkler with
internal diaphragm from the thick ash layers
deposited in the underground service area of
the bath: Kucharczyk 2004: 44-45, Fig. IB;
this type of base has been observed also on
later, Islamic forms). The quantities in which
these two types of bases appear in the
excavated material not only attest to their
popularity, but also suggest that they were a
local product, obviously produced for the
open market.

DECORATED BOTTLES

All recorded fragments have either trailed or
mould-blown designs, which are, however,
poorly represented. The latter include two
shards made of good quality light brown
glass streaked with purple [Fig. 2:1] and of
yellow glass [Fig. 2:2], bearing a geometric
design that is familiar in Islamic art and is
often associated with long-necked globular

bottles. These are, respectively, big concentric
circles in low relief and densely-spaced
roundish “cells” constituting a variation on
the simple but effective honeycomb pattern.
Optic blowing creates an overall decorative
motif that is shallower, hence fainter.
The third fragment is thin-walled, made
of quality light-green glass. It shows faint

58

Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007