Jug

Delicate jug made of blown glass. It dates to ca. AD 300 and is probably of Syrian origin. The glass-blowing technique was invented in the 1st c. BC and had a tremendous impact in the history of glass-making. It is widely accepted that this innovation took place in the eastern Mediterranean, most probably in the Levant, where there was a long tradition of glass-making. The new technique facilitated the manufacture of glass vessels and reduced considerably the production cost. As a result, glass was not anymore considered as a luxury product and became available to wider social strata. The two first centuries after the invention of glass-blowing saw a considerable amount of experimentation in methods and shapes. During the 3rd and 4th c. AD, glass vases and other items were mass-produced and widely distributed all over the Mediterranean world and the Near East.