Glass perfume bottle
Unknown Artist
1st century CE
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
4 1/2 in. (11.5 cm) Other: 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm) Diam. of rim: 3/4 in. (2 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture & Period
Roman · Early Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.27
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass perfume bottle, dating to the 1st century CE during Rome's Early Imperial period, the everyday elegance of Roman craftsmanship. Standing just 4½ inches (11.5 cm) tall with a slender body, narrow neck, and rim diameter of ¾ inch (2 cm), it was designed to hold precious oils or perfumes—known as unguents—used in personal grooming, religious rituals, and even funerary practices. Crafted from transparent glass, its simple, elongated form highlights the Roman innovation in glassmaking, which made such luxury items accessible beyond the elite. Glass production flourished in the ...