Roman Sidonian Glass Miniature Vessel, 1st Century AD
From Sidon, Lebanon, a fine mold-blown aubergine, amber and blue glass miniature jug. 2" in diameter x 2.75" H (5.1 cm x 7 cm)
Phoenicia was famous for mold-blown glass during the 1st century AD. Here are Pliny's words as he describes his voyage to Sidon: “From this point on we must go back to the coast and to Phoenicia. There was formerly a town called Crocodilian, and there still is a river of that name…Then comes Cape Carmel…Next are Getta, Geba, and the river Pacida or Belus…Close to this river is Ptolemais…Next Tyre, once an island separated from the mainland by a very deep sea-channel 700 yards wide, but now joined to it by the works constructed by Alexander when besieging the place…but the entire renown of Tyre now consists in a shell-fish and a purple dye!…Next are Zarephath and the city of birds (Ornithon oppidum), and Sidon, the mother-city of Thebes in Boeotia where glass is made." (Pliny, Natural History V.75-76, 77-79 AD).
