Glass Fragments
Unknown Artist
4th century
Medium
Glass (clear)
Dimensions
Storage (petri dish diam.): 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm)
Classification
Glass-Vessels
Culture
Coptic
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1931
Accession Number
31.8.42.40a, b
Art Historical Context
These delicate *Glass Fragments* from 4th century Coptic Egypt offer a glimpse into the everyday artistry of early Christian communities in the Nile Valley. Preserved in a small petri dish measuring just 2 3/16 inches (5.5 cm) in diameter, these clear glass shards likely originated from a vessel—perhaps a cup, flask, or lamp—crafted using sophisticated blowing and shaping techniques inherited from Roman-Egyptian traditions. through the Rogers Fund in 1931, they now reside in the Metropolitan of Art's Medieval Art department, among glass vessels that highlight Coptic craftsmanship. Coptic cult...