189. Eulogia Jug

Condition

Reassembled with fills on the body and shoulder. The surface presents some patchy iridescence and brownish accretions.

Description

In-folded, tubular rim; conical mouth; cylindrical neck widening considerably toward the body. Conical, uneven shoulders and hexagonal body standing on a flat, slightly concave bottom. Across the bottom a straight ridge is visible, the seam of the two parts of the lower part of the mold. At the center of the bottom is an annular pontil mark (W. 1 cm).

Applied trails are wound under the rim and at mid-neck. A thick coil handle has been applied on the shoulder and drawn up to the neck. The six sides of the body are uneven, ranging from 2.2 to 4.5 cm in width. On the sides of the body the following mold-blown low-relief themes are depicted left to right, beginning under the handle:

1. A network of 11 rows of two small (0.6 × 0.6 cm) lozenges (W. 2.2 cm).

2. A human body–shaped opening, which is almost entirely filled with a schematic figure surrounded by bosses. The body is covered with cross-hatch pattern, rendering the wrapping with bands. The panel is surrounded by four bosses vertically (from bottom upward: circular, oval, smaller circular, oval, circular) and three circular ones horizontally (W. 4.5 cm).

3. Six rows of pairs of bosses (W. 2.6 cm).

4. Latin cross with triangular endings of arms (croix furchée) with small globular terminals at the corners. Above and below the cross are four oblique oval bosses, which are pointing toward the center of the cross, and four more flank the horizontal arm (W. 3.4 cm).

5. An oval handleless vase below. The vase has conical mouth, biconical body, and tall conical base. From the vase stems a winding grape vine full of bunches and leaves (W. 4.5 cm).

6. A network of 19 rows of two larger (1 × 1 cm) lozenges. A circular boss is placed at the center of the lozenges of the five lower rows (W. 3 cm).

Comments and Comparanda

A large group of mold-blown vessels with Christian, Jewish, geometric, and vegetal motifs in sunken relief has long been known and discussed in archaeology (Barag 1970c, p. 1971). They are dated between the fourth and seventh centuries, predominantly in the sixth to the mid-seventh centuries. They were produced in Syria and Palestine to meet the needs of pilgrims to contain eulogiae—the blessings, mementos of earth, oil, or water from holy places, that would permit the pilgrim to call upon its protective powers at a later date (Ćurčić and St. Clair 1986, p. 36; Newby 2008, pp. 12–17). For two direct parallels, see Newby 2008, pp. 174–175, no. 71; 3000 Jahre Glaskunst, p. 90, no. 326. Also, cf. Stern 1995, p. 267, no. 190; Matheson 1980, p. 133, no. 354.

Provenance

By 1974–1988, Erwin Oppenländer, 1901–1988 (Waiblingen, Germany), by inheritance to his son, Gert Oppenländer, 1988; 1988–2003, Gert Oppenländer (Waiblingen, Germany), sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum, 2003

Bibliography

von Saldern et al. 1974, p. 181, no. 504.

Exhibitions

Gläser der Antike: Sammlung Erwin Oppenländer (Hamburg and Cologne, 1974–1975)