Details

COLEM:1931.1411

Colchester Collections

fragmentary glass, millefiori glass

This fragment of glass, with a spiral mosaic design, was created using the millefiori (mosaic glass) technique. This was achieved by fusing the cross-section of different coloured rods of glass together. The fragment comes from a bowl, of which these polychrome vessels were particularly popular in the early Roman period of the first century AD. This fragment was discovered at Sheepen, on the outskirts of Roman Colchester.Colchester Museums curate one of the best collections of Roman glass in the country, especially of the first century AD thanks to Boudica’s rebellion and destruction of the town. The Romans used glass to manufacture a huge range of objects, from bottles, bowls and bath flasks, to hairpins, gaming counters and even windowpanes. In the early period glass vessels were imported into Britain but, from the second half of the first century AD, glass was also made here. The development of glass blowing techniques meant that certain items could be produced cheaply and in large quantities. Glass is often thought to be rare from the Roman world, because it is so fragile, but the main reason for its rarity is because it was recycled throughout the Roman period.

Roman

width: 55.00 mm
height: 50.00