balsamarium (Bottle)
About this object
History of use
Used to store unguents, oil or perfume.
Narrative
The van Haersolte Collection; provenance unknown; could be from Syria or Egypt?
Cultural context
storage
Physical description
Purple glass bottle with a white spiral design (balsamarium). The bottle is translucent purple with a translucent white spiral thread that envelopes the entire vessel. This thread was applied in the molten state and drawn upwards and downwards with a pointed instrument to create the scallop pattern. The body is spherical with a flat bottom. The neck is slender with a splayed rim.
Materials
