Publisher's Synopsis
This publication contains details, photographs and illustrations of Ernesto Wolf's unusually comprehensive collection of Roman, Byzantine and early medieval glasses. Some 230 objects trace the formation of the great Roman glass industry and follow its growth into early medieval times. Written in non-technical language and readily accessible to the non-professional, five chapters arranged in loose chronological order investigate the art history and cultural context of the glass vessels and objects. The emphasis is on the relationship between blown glass vessels made in the western part of the Roman empire, focusing on Italy and the northwestern provinces, and in the Eastern Mediterranean, focusing on Syro-Palestinian workshops. An extensive glossary explains the how when and where of the most salient characteristics of vessels blown in different areas of the Roman and Byzantine empires.
