nn6359

A Phoenician bird-like glass askos, most likely free-blown. The glass is a blue colour, possibly gained through the addition of cobalt oxide in the glass mixing process. The body is small and resembles the shape of a bird's body, with an upright neck to one side of the vessel that falls slightly to form a dropping spout. This shape is characteristic of askos or ‘bird flasks’ which were popular and spread throughout the Roman empire. The overall size of the vessel measures 77 mm x 49 mm x 108 mm. The side of the body is inscribed with ‘No 10, S.Tyre’, possibly being collected there. Corroborating with collections of similar style and origin at the The J. Paul Getty Museum this flask was possibly made in Roman Lebanon around the 1st-2nd century A.D. Vessels such as these would have been used to contain and pour small quantities of liquids such as oils - particularly useful in refilling oil lamps. The bird-like form of the bottle may have helped contain the liquid as well as make for easy pouring. The askos was collected by Thomas Swan.