A Roman Aqua Blue Glass Tear Bottle, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 1st - 2nd century CE

This elegant unguentarium is blown in desirable aqua-blue glass, with a long, tapering neck and a rounded, drop-shaped body. Large numbers of vessels in this shape have been found in Roman tombs, leading early archaeologists to the romantic but erroneous proposal that these bottles contained the tears of Roman mourners. In fact, they were used as part of the Roman toilette and contained viscous liquids such as unguents and perfumes. Medium: Glass Dimensions: Height: 5 1/4 inches (13.3 cm) Condition: Overall intact and in very good condition.Provenance: Half-Century Formed Collection of Ancient Glass from the Holy Land.