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Roman, early Imperial period, Eastern Mediterranean, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A beautiful stirring rod formed from clear glass to present a long, twisted stem and an annular, loop handle. Though the exact use of stirring rods is unknown, scholars believe that they may have functioned to mix water with wine as Romans often diluted their wine with water. They also could have been used to get ointments or liquids out of vessels with long necks or to mix medicines or cosmetics. Stirrers, like this example, were made and used across the Roman world and the form is found in ivory and bronze of the same period. Size: 6″ L x 1.3″ W (15.2 cm x 3.3 cm); 7.7″ H (19.6 cm) on included custom stand.
Similar glass stirring rods can be found at the Science Museum London (A163578 and A96793), British Museum (1879,0522.47), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (74.51.152 and 74.51.151).
Exhibited in “Ancient Glass: Selections from the Richard Brockway Collection” at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University, Salem from March 10 to May 19, 2007 and “Glass of the Ancient World” at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, Florida from October 11 to December 28, 2008.
Condition: Areas of loss and chipping to handle, finial, and bottom area, and professional repair to handle with break line visible. Abrasions to surface as shown. Otherwise, very nice with earthen deposits in areas.
Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida, USA collection, acquired before 2003
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