Cosmetic Preparation
“You lay your teeth
aside at night as you do your silks, and lie stored in a hundred caskets. Your face does not sleep with you.”
(Martial, Epigrams IX.37)
Just as Roman perfume bottles (unguentaria) changed their shape many times over centuries, the various jars
and juglets that were used to store cosmetic ingredients and herbal balms went through similar changes, their
decoration following prevalent fashion trends in vessels made from more valuable materials such as bronze and silver.
Thus, in a sense, the Roman middle class was always in vogue.
All glassware is shown at a scale of one-to-one unless otherwise stated. |
Bee balm (Melissa officinalis)
which was used to sooth stings and bites |
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MS 5008
Possibly from Aleppo (Syria)
Mid 1st century A.D.
Royal blue; opaque white
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
MS 5276
Possibly from Aleppo (Syria)
Late 1st century A.D.
Bluish colorless
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
MS 5601
Provenance unknown
Late 1st century A.D.
Purple
Gift of Lydia T. Morris |
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86-35-111
Provenance unknown
Early 2nd century A.D.
Purple
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
MS 4929
Possibly from Nazareth (Israel)
2nd century A.D.
Dark amber; opaque white
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
MS 4937
Possibly from Aleppo (Syria)
2nd century A.D.
Dark amber; opaque white
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
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MS 5084
Possibly from Tubas (Syria)
2nd century A.D.
Medium green
Purchased from
Vestor & Co.
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MS 5123
Possibly from Lydda (Israel)
2nd century A.D.
Light green
Purchased from Vestor & Co.
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MS 5033
Provenance unknown
3rd century A.D.
Light green
Purchased from Vestor & Co.
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29-105-708
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 43
4th century A.D
Light green; light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
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MS 5061
Possibly from Aleppo (Syria)
4th century A.D.
Light green
Purchased from Vestor & Co.
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MS 5228
Possibly from Nazareth (Israel)
4th century A.D.
Light green; light green
Purchased from Vestor & Co.
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MS 5264
Possibly from Beth Shean (Israel)
4th century A.D.
Royal blue
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
MS 5491
Provenance unknown
4th century A.D.
Light green; light green
Gift of Lydia T. Morris
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29-105-684
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 1
Late 4th century A.D
Greenish-yellow
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-707
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 1
Late 4th century A.D
Light green; light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-710
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 1
Late 4th century A.D
Light green; light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-59
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D
Clear colorless; turquoise
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
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32-15-66
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D
Clear colorless; turquoise
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-85
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Clear colorless; turquoise
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-86
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Bluish colorless
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
86-35-62
Provenance unknown
Late 4th century A.D.
Clear colorless; dark blue
Gift of George &
Henry J. Vaux |
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86-35-70
Provenance unknown
Late 4th century A.D.
Light amber (body and coils);
dark green
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
MS 5109
Provenance unknown
Late 4th century A.D.
Light green; light green
Purchased from
Vestor & Co.
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MS 5581
Provenance unknown
Late 4th century A.D.
Light amber; light green
Gift of Lydia T. Morris
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MS 5603
Provenance unknown
Late 4th-early 5th century A.D.
Clear colorless; light green
Gift of Lydia T. Morris
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38-28-58
Provenance unknown
5th century A.D.
Light green; dark green
Gift of John F. Lewis |
38-28-88
Provenance unknown
5th century A.D.
Light green; dark green
Gift of John F. Lewis
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58-30-2
Provenance unknown
5th century A.D.
Light green; dark green
Gift of Lydia T. Morris
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86-35-64
Provenance unknown
Early-to-mid 5th century A.D.
Light green
(body and
neck coils); dark green
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
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86-35-87
Provenance unknown
5th century A.D.
Light green; dark green
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux
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MS 4944
Possibly from Nazareth (Israel)
Early 5th century A.D.
Clear colorless; dark green
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
MS 4949
Provenance unknown
Early-to-mid 5th century A.D.
Clear colorless; dark blue
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
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MS 5538
Provenance unknown
Early-to-mid 5th century A.D.
Clear colorless; dark blue
Gift of Lydia T. Morris |
MS 5610
Provenance unknown
5th century A.D.
Light green; dark green
Gift of Lydia T. Morris |
MS 4942
Possibly from Galilee
6th century A.D.
Light green; light green
Purchased from Vestor & Co. |
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Ointment pot
29-105-722 |
Many cosmetic lotions were applied by finger-tip out of the kind of ointment
pot illustrated here that, perhaps because it was so easily made, was to remain in the Roman glassworker’s repertoire for about four centuries with
little or no change of shape. The simplicity of these pots make them all but impossible to date accurately, unless they were found together with
distinctive grave goods. Such is the case, however, with certain Roman period tombs in the cemeteries of Beth
Shean, in Israel, that were excavated on behalf of the Museum in the late 1920searly 1930s.
All glassware is shown at a scale of one-to-one unless otherwise stated.
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29-105-604
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 18
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-718
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 22
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-719
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 18
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-721
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 81
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
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29-105-722
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 91
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-723
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 8
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
29-105-727
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 18
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
31-50-117
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 249
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
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31-50-121
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 249
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
31-50-122
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 257
4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-77
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Light green????
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-78
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Light green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
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32-15-79
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Light green????
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
32-15-80
From Beth Shean (Israel),
tomb 295
Late 4th century A.D.
Medium green
Excavated by G.M. Fitzgerald |
38-28-66
Possibly from Tyre (Syria)
4th century A.D.
Light green
Gift of John F. Lewis
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38-28-70
Provenance unknown
4th century A.D.
Light green
Gift of John F. Lewis
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86-35-138
Provenance unknown
4th century A.D.
Translucent turquoise
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
86-35-139
Provenance unknown
1st-4th century A.D.
Light green
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
86-35-160
Provenance unknown
1st-4th century A.D.
Light green
Gift of George & Henry J. Vaux |
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