Scent Bottle
400-200 B.C.
Medium
Decorative Arts-Glass
Classification
Decorative Arts-Glass
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly
Accession Number
1929.8.157.29
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate Roman scent bottle, dating from 400-200 B.C., exemplifies artistry of ancient glassmaking during the late Classical to early Hellenistic period. Crafted an unidentified Roman artisan, it served as a practical container for perfumes, oils, or cosmetics—essentials in daily grooming and ritual life. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Decorative Arts-Glass collection, it was generously gifted by John Gellat, highlighting how ancient treasures enrich modern American collections. Glass production in this era relied on innovative techniques like core-forming, where a remov...