Ancient Roman Glass Lentoid Flask | Late Imperial–Early Byzantine | Circa 4th – 6th Century CE

Provenance & Ownership History
More Less

Offered by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine, United States, on August 24, 2013, as Lot 487. Following the auction, the piece entered a private collection in Windsor, Connecticut, United States.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Roman free-blown glass lentoid flask dating to the Late Imperial to Early Byzantine period, circa 4th–6th century CE, based on its flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded slightly flared rim, pale blue-green glass, natural iridescence, and burial encrustation.

$900.00
$900.00
Free Worldwide Shipping on all orders
Customers rate us 4.96/5 based on 117 reviews.

This is a one-of-a-kind historical object. Once sold, this exact piece will not be restocked.
Questions before acquiring? Additional photographs, condition details, documentation, shipping information or a private viewing are available upon request.
Ancient Roman pale blue-green lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body and short cylindrical neck.
Video showing an ancient Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded flared rim, natural iridescence, burial deposits, and repaired neck.
Late Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with natural iridescence and brown burial encrustation.
Roman lentoid glass vessel in pale blue-green glass with a compressed circular body, short neck, and weathered surface.
Authentic Roman Empire glass flask featuring flattened circular form and mineral deposits
Late Roman free-blown glass flask with a repaired neck, folded rim, and archaeological mineral deposits.
Ancient Roman pale green glass container with flared rim and custom display stand
Roman archaeological glass flask showing iridescence, surface encrustation, and historic repairs
Ancient Roman glass lentoid flask with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, and pale blue-green translucency.
Late Roman glass flask with natural iridescence, brown burial deposits, and a flattened lentoid body.
Roman Empire pale green glass vessel with burial weathering and elegant flattened profile
Antique Roman free-blown glass flask with mineral encrustation and translucent green coloration
Late Roman pale blue-green lentoid flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with mineral encrustation and clear acrylic display stand.
  • Ancient Roman pale blue-green lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body and short cylindrical neck.
  • Video showing an ancient Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded flared rim, natural iridescence, burial deposits, and repaired neck.
  • Late Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with natural iridescence and brown burial encrustation.
  • Roman lentoid glass vessel in pale blue-green glass with a compressed circular body, short neck, and weathered surface.
  • Authentic Roman Empire glass flask featuring flattened circular form and mineral deposits
  • Late Roman free-blown glass flask with a repaired neck, folded rim, and archaeological mineral deposits.
  • Ancient Roman pale green glass container with flared rim and custom display stand
  • Roman archaeological glass flask showing iridescence, surface encrustation, and historic repairs
  • Ancient Roman glass lentoid flask with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, and pale blue-green translucency.
  • Late Roman glass flask with natural iridescence, brown burial deposits, and a flattened lentoid body.
  • Roman Empire pale green glass vessel with burial weathering and elegant flattened profile
  • Antique Roman free-blown glass flask with mineral encrustation and translucent green coloration
  • Late Roman pale blue-green lentoid flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with mineral encrustation and clear acrylic display stand.
Ancient Roman pale blue-green lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body and short cylindrical neck.
Video showing an ancient Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, 4th–6th century CE, with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded flared rim, natural iridescence, burial deposits, and repaired neck.
Late Roman free-blown lentoid glass flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with natural iridescence and brown burial encrustation.
Roman lentoid glass vessel in pale blue-green glass with a compressed circular body, short neck, and weathered surface.
Authentic Roman Empire glass flask featuring flattened circular form and mineral deposits
Late Roman free-blown glass flask with a repaired neck, folded rim, and archaeological mineral deposits.
Ancient Roman pale green glass container with flared rim and custom display stand
Roman archaeological glass flask showing iridescence, surface encrustation, and historic repairs
Ancient Roman glass lentoid flask with a flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, and pale blue-green translucency.
Late Roman glass flask with natural iridescence, brown burial deposits, and a flattened lentoid body.
Roman Empire pale green glass vessel with burial weathering and elegant flattened profile
Antique Roman free-blown glass flask with mineral encrustation and translucent green coloration
Late Roman pale blue-green lentoid flask, circa 4th–6th century CE, with mineral encrustation and clear acrylic display stand.
Authenticity and secure checkout guarantee

Ancient Roman Glass Lentoid Flask | Late Imperial–Early Byzantine | Circa 4th – 6th Century CE

Description
More Less

Historical Context & Origin

Region: Roman World
Material: Free-blown pale blue-green glass
Period: Late Imperial to Early Byzantine Period, circa 4th–6th Century CE

Description

This ancient Roman lentoid glass flask dates to approximately the 4th–6th century CE, spanning the Late Imperial to Early Byzantine period.

Free-blown in pale blue-green glass, the vessel has a distinctive flattened circular, or lentoid, body, rising to a short cylindrical neck and terminating in a folded, slightly flared rim. Its compressed circular profile gives the vessel an elegant form characteristic of this class of Late Antique glass containers.

The surface exhibits naturally developed iridescence, brown burial encrustation, mineral deposits, and weathering resulting from prolonged archaeological burial.

A visible crack and old repair are present at the neck, while a small area of loss is visible along the rim. Despite these age-related condition issues, the vessel retains its characteristic form and remains suitable for display.

A comparable Roman lentoid bottle is held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inventory no. 17.194.93.

Features

- Flattened circular body

- Short cylindrical neck

- Folded, slightly flared rim

- Pale blue-green translucent glass

- Natural ancient iridescence

- Brown burial encrustation and mineral deposits

- Old repair and visible crack at the neck

- Small loss to the rim

- Comparable form in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cultural Significance

Glassblowing allowed Roman and Late Antique craftsmen to create lightweight vessels in a wide variety of specialized forms. Flattened or lentoid bottles were produced for holding relatively small quantities of liquids and other substances, although the exact original contents of this example cannot be determined without archaeological context.

Its form belongs to the later development of Roman glass production and continued into the Early Byzantine period, demonstrating the longevity and adaptability of glassworking traditions across Late Antiquity.

Condition

Ancient archaeological condition with natural iridescence, brown burial encrustation, mineral deposits, and surface weathering throughout. A visible crack and old repair are present at the neck, together with a small loss at the rim. The flattened body remains substantially intact and retains its overall profile.

Dimensions (Approximate)

Height: 5.75 in

Age (Approximate)

1,400–1,700 years old

Provenance

Offered by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine, United States, on August 24, 2013, as Lot 487. Following the auction, the piece entered a private collection in Windsor, Connecticut, United States.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Roman free-blown glass lentoid flask dating to the Late Imperial to Early Byzantine period, circa 4th–6th century CE, based on its flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded slightly flared rim, pale blue-green glass, natural iridescence, and burial encrustation.

Learn More

Explore a related Late Roman glass lentoid bottle dating to the 4th–6th century CE in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Browse our collection of Roman & Greek Artifacts & Ancient Relics

Description

Historical Context & Origin

Region: Roman World
Material: Free-blown pale blue-green glass
Period: Late Imperial to Early Byzantine Period, circa 4th–6th Century CE

Description

This ancient Roman lentoid glass flask dates to approximately the 4th–6th century CE, spanning the Late Imperial to Early Byzantine period.

Free-blown in pale blue-green glass, the vessel has a distinctive flattened circular, or lentoid, body, rising to a short cylindrical neck and terminating in a folded, slightly flared rim. Its compressed circular profile gives the vessel an elegant form characteristic of this class of Late Antique glass containers.

The surface exhibits naturally developed iridescence, brown burial encrustation, mineral deposits, and weathering resulting from prolonged archaeological burial.

A visible crack and old repair are present at the neck, while a small area of loss is visible along the rim. Despite these age-related condition issues, the vessel retains its characteristic form and remains suitable for display.

A comparable Roman lentoid bottle is held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inventory no. 17.194.93.

Features

- Flattened circular body

- Short cylindrical neck

- Folded, slightly flared rim

- Pale blue-green translucent glass

- Natural ancient iridescence

- Brown burial encrustation and mineral deposits

- Old repair and visible crack at the neck

- Small loss to the rim

- Comparable form in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cultural Significance

Glassblowing allowed Roman and Late Antique craftsmen to create lightweight vessels in a wide variety of specialized forms. Flattened or lentoid bottles were produced for holding relatively small quantities of liquids and other substances, although the exact original contents of this example cannot be determined without archaeological context.

Its form belongs to the later development of Roman glass production and continued into the Early Byzantine period, demonstrating the longevity and adaptability of glassworking traditions across Late Antiquity.

Condition

Ancient archaeological condition with natural iridescence, brown burial encrustation, mineral deposits, and surface weathering throughout. A visible crack and old repair are present at the neck, together with a small loss at the rim. The flattened body remains substantially intact and retains its overall profile.

Dimensions (Approximate)

Height: 5.75 in

Age (Approximate)

1,400–1,700 years old

Provenance

Offered by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine, United States, on August 24, 2013, as Lot 487. Following the auction, the piece entered a private collection in Windsor, Connecticut, United States.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Roman free-blown glass lentoid flask dating to the Late Imperial to Early Byzantine period, circa 4th–6th century CE, based on its flattened circular body, short cylindrical neck, folded slightly flared rim, pale blue-green glass, natural iridescence, and burial encrustation.

Learn More

Explore a related Late Roman glass lentoid bottle dating to the 4th–6th century CE in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Browse our collection of Roman & Greek Artifacts & Ancient Relics

You May Also Like