Thread by @VeraCausa9

The most gorgeous of ancient Roman mosaic glass techniques is the millefiori or a thousand flowers, as the finished result often emerges as a flower-pattern: bluish green glass with a pattern in yellow, lilac, white & pale green.

Mosaic glass bowl-1st century AD @ThmMuseum

A lovely mosaic glass dish with a Klimt-like combination of colors and patterns-Hellenistic or early Roman mid–2nd/early 1st c. BC @artinstitutechi

An exquisite ribbed bowl imitating the marbling of the agate, against the light the glass gives the soft-glow illusion of slow-dying embers-Roman empire ca. 25 B.C.–A.D. 50 found in Thonon-les Bains, France. @GettyMuseum

This stunning amber-colored glass beaker with lotus buds decorations is one of the earliest surviving examples of glassblowing technique-Roman 1st century AD @GettyMuseum

Brightly multi-colored ribbon glass cup with a concave-sided shape-Roman empire ca. 25 BC-50 AD @corningmuseum

The "ribbon" mosaic glass technique was mainly made of lengths (not slices) of canes arranged in geometric patterns. The fashion for brightly colored glass lasted until the mid-first century A.D., when colorless glass gained in popularity. [1]

There's a minimalist patterning in this snake-thread glass flask, named for the blue & white glass ribbons trailing around flask's body. 'Flower & bird' motif of flattened leaves spreading out from twisting stems is an eastern provinces design-Roman empire 3rd c. AD @GettyMuseum

This pyxis is a wonderful example of Roman luxury glassware, used to hold cosmetics or precious jewelry. Cylindrical in shape with a knob on the cover; stratified: green, white, yellow, blue- 1st c. BC (Augustan) found in Jerusalem @walters_museum

A minute pear-shaped glass unguentarium w/ green traces on an iridescent surface stored balsams/oils used for funerary practices. Also called lacrimarium ("tear-container") mistakenly believed to collect the tears (lacrimae) of mourners for the beloved deceased-Roman 1st c. A.D

Shakespeare refers to the 'lacrimarium' practice in Antony & Cleopatra when Cleopatra chides the Roman for shedding a few tears over the death of his wife:

"Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill / With sorrowful water?"[1]

Fascinating dove-shaped blue glass unguentarium used in funerary rites, then left in tombs, still stained w/ traces of scented balsam or oil. The bird's shape is symbolic of the free deceased soul now able to move peacefully from one realm to another-glass blown-Roman 1st c. AD

This Roman dove-shaped unguentarium is at Musei Civici di Pavia Castello Visconteo. [1]