Janiform Head Flask
Unknown Artist
100–400 CE
Medium
glass, mold-blown
Dimensions
{"diameter":{"width":0.046},"overall":{"height":0.064}}
Classification
Glass
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of J. H. Wade
Accession Number
1923.945
About this artwork
Called Janiform after Janus, the two-faced Roman god associated with doorways and beginnings, two-faced head flasks like this were popular across the Roman Empire. The faces themselves, quite similar to one another, could both represent Janus, although he is typically bearded and here the gender is unclear. Some other two-faced head flasks clearly differentiate between the two sides, showing one serious, the other smiling.