English
Silk Road Collection
Glass

Mold-blown bottle with Dionysiac Scene

  • 3rd-4th century AD
  • Roman
  • glass
  • H20.0×φ9.5cm

Dionysus, the god of wine, is often portrayed on bottles, jars and cups used for wine. The body of this mold-blown glass bottle is divided into three columns, with embossed carvings of Dionysus with a panther, Pan the god of sheep, and Silenus carrying a jar of wine on his shoulders. At the bottom of this jar is an inscription that says “Drink, that thou may live long,” which was what they said during toasts at the time. This is a very rare piece, with only four known pieces in the world.