The ancient Roman Empire reached Spain, Britain, and Germany at the height of its dominance, in addition to Italy. Archaeologists are still finding opulent mansions and abandoned roads as evidence of this powerful civilization. A fortunate group of archaeologists in the Netherlands discovered a rare Roman glass bowl in perfect condition, whereas the majority of these finds are found in broken fragments.
The 2,000-year-old artifact was discovered during excavations in Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands and a Roman military outpost. The medium-sized bowl was found intact and by archaeologist Pepijn van de Geer and his team, who quickly deduced that it was “of Roman manufacture” and was probably created in an Italian or German glass factory. It has a ridged texture along the sides and a deep blue color.
According to Van de Geer, these dishes were created by letting molten glass cool and solidify over a mold in the Netherlands. “While the glass mixture was still liquid, the striped pattern was drawn in. Blue color is caused by metal oxide. Along with the bowl, archaeologists discovered other artifacts that provided insight into Roman daily life, including homes, wells, commonplace items, jewelry, and even graves.
A blue Roman glass bowl was uncovered in Nijmegen, Netherlands—an ancient city that used to be a Roman settlement. It is estimated to be about 2,000 years old.
h/t: [Open Culture]
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