Object Image

Glass beaker with snake-thread decoration

Colorless with pale green tinge; trails in same color.

Tall beaker or goblet, with side tapering downwards and curving in at base; stem consists of a solid, slightly convex knob; broad, shallow foot, made from a separate gather is concave, with rounded, thickened edge, and small central pontil scar.

On body, three vertical abstract floral sprays, comprising stems and broad, down-turned leaves, applied as separate trails, all flattened and decorated with crisscross patterns, and one small additional spray near bottom on one side.

Broken and repaired, with some weathered broken edges; all of rim and much of body missing, but foot intact; a few bubbles; slight dulling and patches of brilliant iridescent weathering.

Credit: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917

c. 3rd century A.D.
Glass; blown, trailed, and tooled
14.8 x 7.9 x 7.3 cm
17.194.210
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019

Where you'll find this

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Permanent collection