1152 - Cinerary urn (ossuary pot) made of blown glass, with a lead sleeve, and five blown-glass lachrymatory vessels, Roman Empire SI

Cinerary urn (ossuary pot) made of blown glass, with a lead sleeve, and five blown-glass lachrymatory vessels, Roman Empire SI A globular urn with a wide mouth in perfect condition, protected by a lead sleeve with a lid and five lachrymatory vessels intended for perfumes or oils as offerings. Glass cinerary urns began to appear in the Roman Empire around the 1st century, when the glassblowing technique was discovered. Objects made of this material became popular, moving beyond the upper classes or the luxury sector to become part of everyday life. The practice of cremation coexisted with inhumation, being more common in the western part of the Empire and gradually disappearing as Christianity spread, which advocated inhumation in the hope of resurrection. Glass urns could take various shapes, with or without a lid and/or handles. Those that were buried were placed inside a lead or stone container, which rarely survives. In this case, the lead container has been preserved intact with its lid. An example of a lead urn and sleeve was found at the Carmona Archaeological Site and also dates from the 1st century. Other examples of blown-glass cinerary urns in Spain are found in the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba, originating from the necropolis, the Algeciras Museum (Carteia Urn), and several in the National Archaeological Museum; the latter are described in “Roman Cinerary Urns of Glass and Lead from the National Archaeological Museum, Madrid,” by Mercedes Martín de la Torre, Bulletin of the National Archaeological Museum (Madrid) (October 1991), pp. 17–28. Urn height: 21.5 cm Sleeve dimensions: 25 x 22 cm Lacrimatory length: between 8.5 and 11 cm