Original scientific paper
Roman cosmetic or pharmaceutical glass vessels in the Archaeological Museum of Istria
Alka Starac
orcid.org/0000-0002-8254-0849
; Arheološki muzej Istre, Pula, Hrvatska
Abstract
This paper analyzes 140 Roman cosmetic or pharmaceutical glass vessels from the Roman Period Collection of the Archaeological Museum of Istria. Most of the selected objects belong to the Museum’s permanent display, but some other ones are also included. The objects are either complete or with minor damages and are dated to the period between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. They include balsamarii of various forms, mold-blown and free-blown vials, handled cups, amphoriskoi and one pyxis. These objects are analyzed based on their form (related to their purpose and to how, when and where they were made) and their contents and social contexts, if known. They mostly come from the workshops in Northern Italy and Northern Adriatic; some of them come from the Eastern Mediterranean and very few of them from Western European provinces. The balsamarii selected here offer an insight into the main routes of trade in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations that Roman Istria was part of.
Keywords
balsamarium; vial; pharmacy; Istria; cosmetics; glass
Hrčak ID:
311728
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2023.
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