Glass and Perfume

Perfumes and precious liquids were generally luxury items that people owned in small amounts due to the expense. As such, the containers for these perfumes and precious liquids were often small and could range from plain clay bottles to beautiful ornate glass or alabaster containers. In this display are a variety of glass containers that would have been used to hold perfumes and precious liquids. On the bottom shelf are examples of plain clay bottles. Alongside these are examples of some of the types of materials used to make perfumes, which were generally oil-based. To give fragrance, ancient people used either plant-based materials (such as spices, resins, or flowers) or animal-based materials (such as musk or other glandular oils). Finally, once again driving home how precious these materials were, the small weight is displayed to show the small amounts that were generally bought by a customer.

Artifacts on Display:

1. Fusiform Unguentarium
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

2. Pointed Unguentarium
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

3. Tube Unguentarium
   Date: Roman-Byzantine Period (c. 1st century BC - 15th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

4. Phoenician Glass Alabastron
   Date:  6th-5th century BC
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

5. Balsamarium
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st - 5th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

6. Unguentarium
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

7. Flask
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: Patterson Collection

8. Unguentarium
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: Patterson Collection

9. Bottle
   Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
   Provenance: unknown
   Composition: glass
   Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

10. Unguentarium
    Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
    Provenance: unknown
    Composition: glass
    Collection: LCA Permanent Collection

11. Sprinkler Flask
    Date: Roman Period (c. 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
    Provenance: unknown
    Composition: glass
    Collection: Patterson Collection

12. Weight
    Date: c. 1500-1000 BC
    Provenance: Phoenicia
    Composition: bronze
    Collection: on loan from Dr. Randy Huffines

13. Cinnamon
    Date: modern
    Provenance: USA
    Composition: cinnamon
    Collection: LCA Collection

14. Olive Oil
    Date: modern
    Provenance: USA
    Composition: olives
    Collection: LCA Collection

15. Spindle Bottle
    Date: possibly Hellenistic or Roman Period (c. 4th century BC - 4th century AD)
    Provenance: unknown
    Composition: clay
    Collection:

16. Unguentarium
    Date: possibly Hellenistic or Roman Period (c. 4th century BC - 4th century AD)
    Provenance: unknown
    Composition: clay
    Collection: LCA Permanent Collection