Fragment with Pelorius

Object Name: 
Fragment with Pelorius

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Object Name: 
Fragment with Pelorius
Place Made: 
Roman Empire
probably Rome
Accession Number: 
54.1.80
Dimensions: 
Overall Diam (max): 6.2 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
300-399
Primary Description: 
Colorless glass with minute bubbles; gold sandwich. Circular disc; gold leaf roundel between two glass elements fused together: upper, 0.2 cm thick chipped round edges; lower, also 0.2 cm thick, folded to form base ring. Decorated in gold leaf attached to upper surface of lower sheet: two concentric circles containing inscription ".PELORI.PIE.ZESE[S.VIV]AS." leaf spray; inner circle contains half-length male, beardless, in tunic and pallium with contabulatio, holding right hand to breast and clutching contabulatio in left hand; details scratched. Inscription in thickened letters with diagonal S.

More Info

Department: 
Ancient
Provenance: 
Smith, Ray Winfield (American, 1897-1982), Source
1954-10-11
Category: 
Roman
Color: 
gold
colorless
Technique: 
sandwich glass
Material: 
glass
gold leaf
Inscription: 
.PELORI.PIE.ZESE[S.VIV]AS
inscription
: 
Engraved front The words may be translated “Pelorius, drink and may you live [for many years]! May you live [for many years]!” “Pie zeses,” a Greek phrase adopted by the Romans, was a common toast, as was “Vivas” (may you live!).

Exhibitions (3)

Reflecting Antiquity: Modern Glass Inspired by Ancient Rome
Venue(s)
J. Paul Getty Museum 2007-10-18 through 2008-01-14
Corning Museum of Glass 2008-02-15 through 2008-05-27
The Book and the Spade
Venue(s)
University of Wisconsin-Madison 1975 through 1975
 
Glass from the Ancient World
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass 1957-06-04 through 1957-09-15

Publications (8)

Medieval Glass for Popes, Princes, and Peasants (2010) illustrated, p. 97, #4; BIB# 115588
Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass, Volume Two (2001) p. 248, pl. 840; BIB# 58895
Glass from the Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections (1958) (1958) illustrated, p. 24, #17; BIB# 27746
Glass from the Ancient World: The Ray Winfield Smith Collection (1957) illustrated, pp. 218-219, #443; BIB# 27315
Glass from the Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections (1955) (1955) illustrated, p. 16, #7; BIB# 28450
Die altchristlichen Goldglaser: ein Beitrag zur altchristlichen Kunst - und Kulturgeschichte (1899) p. 98, #79; BIB# 28547
Storia della Arte cristiana (1876) vol. III, p. 195:6, 7;
Catacombes de Rome (1851) vol. IV, pl. 16:4; BIB# 29412