Bell-shaped tumbler, 6th century
Amber-coloured glass, optical blown
(H x Ø)12,2 x 7,4 cm
Place of originRheinland
About the workSimple things can bear witness to great upheavals. When this tumbler was created, the Roman Empire had disintegrated and its former regions had to assert themselves independently. The glass composition is still in the Roman tradition. It is perhaps even made from Roman glass fragments, because the trade routes for raw glass from the Middle East had been interrupted. Either way, the clear amber colour required select raw materials and a great deal of skill. What is “Germanic” about the tumbler is the lack of a base – its contents had to be drunk entirely before it could be put down.
AccessionOld inventory, restored from fragments
Inventory numberP 1989-20A
