Art Institute of Chicago

Flat Flask

Byzantine; Eastern Mediterranean

Date

5th-6th century

Medium

Glass, blown technique

Culture

Byzantine Empire

Department

Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Glass vessels were part of the luxurious domestic decoration displayed in wealthy households in both urban villas and rural estates in the later Roman and early Byzantine eras (about 300–725), and were used for a variety of purposes, including cosmetic containers, pitchers for water or wine, and small cup for drinking. Byzantine glass craftsmen improved upon the techniques, forms, and decorative motifs they had inherited from their Roman predecessors. An imperial edict of 337 exempted glassworkers from personal taxes and attested to their relative status in society; it remained in effect for several centuries.

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