DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4203#0044
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BBONZES, GLASS, Ac.
35
In the first were the pieces of about forty
cylinders of glass, each about one inch across
and an inch and a half long, with square holes
through the axis. Their colours were brilliant,
imitating lazuli, jasper, and turquoise. They
had probably been broken in order to remove
them from the square metal rods on which
they had been fixed, perhaps for the stems of
candelabra.
The history of their destruction had been that
they were scrupulously preserved even when
broken from the rod; most minute chips were
kept together ; then a cloth containing the frag-
ments was shaken out in the farthest end of the
narrow passage of the catacombs (marked glass
cylinders, pi. xxxvi.). That they were not
broken up there is shown by the small chips
lying mostly close together, as if shaken from a
cloth ; if broken in the passage the chips would
have flown wide.
42. The other discovery, similar in its
nature, was a jar of about the age of Constantine,
standing in a corner of the later catacomb,
marked " Mosaic glass " in pi. xxxvi. This was
tilled with pieces of glass inlay and mosaic,
mostly squares of about an inch and a half.
All had been set on a backing, and many had
certainly been retained by metal strips which
had been soldered on a metal back plate. It
seems probable, from the similarity of the
patterns to those of the Ptolemaic cartonnages
representing deep collars, that all of these had
been part of a great collar adorning the statue
of Isis, or from a sacred bark. The pieces had
been stripped away evidently in order to re-use
the metal backing, as many of the soldered
metal strips were cast aside with the glass.
This is just like the breaking up of the
cylinders, in order to remove the metal rods.
This heartless utilitarian smashing of disused
material is in curious contrast to the careful
hiding away of the waste stuff as sacred
property in the catacombs. That dedicated
property should be so much respected as late as
Constantine, and trouble taken to bury it
reverently, is not what might have been
expected.
As this glass has been divided between
different museums (half to Cairo, the rest to the
British Museum, Boston, Philadelphia and
Chicago), it may be well to give a catalogue of
it here.
Inlaid glass, with a setting of bronze strip
around each piece of inlay.
Blue square ; rosette in it Avhite on yellow 4,
on red 3 ; red on white 2, on yellow 3 ;
yellow on white 2, on red 2, on green 2.
White square; rosette red on blue 6 ; blue
on red 5 ; yellow on blue 3, on red 2 ;
blue on yellow 2.
YelloAV square; blue on red 3, on Avhite 2 ;
green on blue 1 ; white on blue 1.
Green square ; red on white 2.
Red square ; blue on yellow G ; white on blue
2 ; yellow on blue 1.
Blue octagon ; rosette in it white on yellow 0,
on red 2 ; yellow on red 2, on green 1 ;
green on red 1.
White octagon ; blue on red 2 ; yellow on
blue 3, on green 1 ; blue on yellow (>.
Green octagon ; yellow on blue 1, on white 2 ;
white on yellow 2, on red 3.
Red octagon ; yellow on blue 1, on green 1 ;
white on yellow 2.
Squares with raised boss in centre : blue on
white 3 ; red on blue 1 ; green on red 1.
Discs In octagons; green in red 1 ; rod in green
1 : white in blue 1 ; blue in white 2.
Striped squares, red, white, and blue stripes, 16.
Fused glass mosaics :
Uza eye ; on red ground 2.
Ankh ; in green 2, in blue 2.
Flowers; yellow on white 1, white on blue 1.
Lotus flower; red, blue centre 8 ; white, red
and blue centre 8 ; red calyx, striped 5 •
orange calyx, striped 3.
Papyrus ; orange calyx 3 ; white calyx 5.
2
BBONZES, GLASS, Ac.
35
In the first were the pieces of about forty
cylinders of glass, each about one inch across
and an inch and a half long, with square holes
through the axis. Their colours were brilliant,
imitating lazuli, jasper, and turquoise. They
had probably been broken in order to remove
them from the square metal rods on which
they had been fixed, perhaps for the stems of
candelabra.
The history of their destruction had been that
they were scrupulously preserved even when
broken from the rod; most minute chips were
kept together ; then a cloth containing the frag-
ments was shaken out in the farthest end of the
narrow passage of the catacombs (marked glass
cylinders, pi. xxxvi.). That they were not
broken up there is shown by the small chips
lying mostly close together, as if shaken from a
cloth ; if broken in the passage the chips would
have flown wide.
42. The other discovery, similar in its
nature, was a jar of about the age of Constantine,
standing in a corner of the later catacomb,
marked " Mosaic glass " in pi. xxxvi. This was
tilled with pieces of glass inlay and mosaic,
mostly squares of about an inch and a half.
All had been set on a backing, and many had
certainly been retained by metal strips which
had been soldered on a metal back plate. It
seems probable, from the similarity of the
patterns to those of the Ptolemaic cartonnages
representing deep collars, that all of these had
been part of a great collar adorning the statue
of Isis, or from a sacred bark. The pieces had
been stripped away evidently in order to re-use
the metal backing, as many of the soldered
metal strips were cast aside with the glass.
This is just like the breaking up of the
cylinders, in order to remove the metal rods.
This heartless utilitarian smashing of disused
material is in curious contrast to the careful
hiding away of the waste stuff as sacred
property in the catacombs. That dedicated
property should be so much respected as late as
Constantine, and trouble taken to bury it
reverently, is not what might have been
expected.
As this glass has been divided between
different museums (half to Cairo, the rest to the
British Museum, Boston, Philadelphia and
Chicago), it may be well to give a catalogue of
it here.
Inlaid glass, with a setting of bronze strip
around each piece of inlay.
Blue square ; rosette in it Avhite on yellow 4,
on red 3 ; red on white 2, on yellow 3 ;
yellow on white 2, on red 2, on green 2.
White square; rosette red on blue 6 ; blue
on red 5 ; yellow on blue 3, on red 2 ;
blue on yellow 2.
YelloAV square; blue on red 3, on Avhite 2 ;
green on blue 1 ; white on blue 1.
Green square ; red on white 2.
Red square ; blue on yellow G ; white on blue
2 ; yellow on blue 1.
Blue octagon ; rosette in it white on yellow 0,
on red 2 ; yellow on red 2, on green 1 ;
green on red 1.
White octagon ; blue on red 2 ; yellow on
blue 3, on green 1 ; blue on yellow (>.
Green octagon ; yellow on blue 1, on white 2 ;
white on yellow 2, on red 3.
Red octagon ; yellow on blue 1, on green 1 ;
white on yellow 2.
Squares with raised boss in centre : blue on
white 3 ; red on blue 1 ; green on red 1.
Discs In octagons; green in red 1 ; rod in green
1 : white in blue 1 ; blue in white 2.
Striped squares, red, white, and blue stripes, 16.
Fused glass mosaics :
Uza eye ; on red ground 2.
Ankh ; in green 2, in blue 2.
Flowers; yellow on white 1, white on blue 1.
Lotus flower; red, blue centre 8 ; white, red
and blue centre 8 ; red calyx, striped 5 •
orange calyx, striped 3.
Papyrus ; orange calyx 3 ; white calyx 5.
2