Art Institute of Chicago

Urn

Roman

Date

Mid–1st to 2nd century

Medium

Glass, blown

Culture

Roman Empire

Department

Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Lidded glass urns were among the largest blown-glass vessels produced by the Romans. Manufactured as storage jars, they were also used as burial containers for cremated human remains and have been unearthed primarily in the western part of the Roman Empire, including Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. While Roman glassmakers could produce a range of vibrant colors, the translucent, blue-green color of this urn was achieved naturally due to the presence of iron oxide in the raw materials used in its production.

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