Bottle 1st-2nd century

Curator: It has this ethereal quality to it, doesn’t it? A quiet shimmer, like a captured moonbeam. Editor: Indeed. This little gem is a Roman glass bottle, dating from the 1st to 2nd century. You can currently find it here at The Art Institute of Chicago. It really brings history to life. Curator: Oh, absolutely. Seeing it here makes me wonder, what perfumes or unguents did it once hold? What hands held it? What stories could this unassuming bottle whisper if it could talk? I like the way time seems to have caressed it, imbuing it with this lovely iridescent patina. It reminds me of those fragile, soap-bubble colours you get sometimes... Editor: That iridescent effect is actually caused by weathering. Over centuries, the surface of the glass reacts with moisture in the air. This bottle is a really great illustration of how environmental forces have quite literally left their mark on our material history. Also, note the bulbous body with the narrow cylindrical neck: clearly meant for the controlled dispensing of precious fluids. It reveals the social value attributed to rare liquids in antiquity, and how even utilitarian objects like this can be objects of beauty. Curator: Yes, exactly. And something about the simplicity, its pleasing shape feels deeply satisfying. Like holding a piece of the earth. Editor: And considering the social contexts of the era, this bottle offers glimpses into not just daily Roman life but their complex trade networks and material cultures. Glassmaking was a major industry, shaping urban landscapes. Curator: I am reminded, though, how little, despite it all, really separates us from those Romans. I can picture myself placing this on my dresser, imagining its journey, and its place in our current lives... Editor: And that’s what is great, isn't it? An artefact that can feel simultaneously familiar and impossibly distant. Thanks for joining me today for this lovely journey, that lets us not only look into the bottle but consider the complex nature of humanity, throughout history. Curator: Thanks, what a lovely and interesting dive into the past.