Glass Drinking Horn

Art Historical Context

This elegant Glass Drinking Horn, crafted between 575 and 625, offers a fascinating glimpse into early medieval craftsmanship during the Lombard (Langobardic) presence in Italy. Shaped like the animal-horn vessels long favored by Germanic peoples for feasting and rituals, the object transforms a traditional form into luminous glass. Standing about 8¼ inches long, its translucent material catches the light in ways that organic horn could not, suggesting both continuity with ancient Roman glassmaking techniques and adaptation to new cultural tastes. The choice of glass for such a vessel highlig...