Asseria, Vol. 7 No. 7, 2009.
Original scientific paper
BIRD–SHAPED DROPPER FLASKS FROM THE SOUTHERN LIBURNIA REGION
Berislav Štefanac
; Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar
Abstract
This paper deals with glass dropper flasks in the shape of a stylized bird from the region of Roman–era southern Liburnia. Eleven complete specimens were recorded, five of which were found at the area of ancient necropolis in Zadar, two each in Starigrad and Podgrađe near Benkovac (Asseria), one in Nin, and there is one specimen from an unknown findspot.
This is quite a homogenous typological group of glass vessels whose basic form remained unaltered over a long period of time (1st–4th cent.) due to its functionality. The main characteristic of these vessels is a tubular spout (a stylized bird’s tail) on the body which was used for precise pouring and dropping of various liquids. From typological point of view a dropper flask of the askos type from Asseria represents an exception which is characterized by somewhat larger dimensions and a handle that overarches the body of the vesse, besides the mentioned characteristics.
Dropper flasks presented in this paper represent relatively rare products of glass production of the Early Imperial period. In other words, southern Liburnian examples have common characteristics with the glass products from the late 1st and entire 2nd century. Proposed datings of certain dropper flasks from Iader and Aenona are based on the datings of the remaining grave goods from the grave units in which they were found. According to the morphological characteristics and the closest comparisons we can consider the southern Liburnian dropper flasks as import from the eastern Mediterranean, most likely from Syria or Cyprus.
Keywords
glass dropper; guttus; ancient Liburnia
Hrčak ID:
74995
URI
Publication date:
2.4.2009.
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