Andrew Ledford Views

Flask from France dated to the 2nd Century CE on display at the Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, Sweden

The flask depicts the god Bacchus and because of this it is thought to have been used for ceremonies related to the god. These ceremonies involved performances and drinking of wine so it is presumably what this flask held. The worship of Bacchus and his festivals were state sanctioned called the Baachanalia. By the 2nd century CE the festivals were tamer compared to what they used to be in the Roman Republic due to controversies surrounding the mixing of sexes and classes.

In 186 BCE the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus (Senatorial Decree Concerning the Bacchanalia) which detailed the banning of the celebration unless it was organised by the Senate.

The Disch Cantharus, glass (ca. 4th century AD) Found in Cologne in 1866, this Roman diatretum represents a peak of ancient craftsmanship. The artist painstakingly carved the outer cage of circles and columns from a single thick glass blank, leaving the decorative network attached to the inner body by only tiny bridges. Survival of such a fragile object is rare, as the high risk of breakage during production made these vessels symbols of extreme wealth.

Hellenistic Greek Cast Glass Pomegranate Vase

Güterzug-Dampflokomotive 44 3770

Freight steam locomotive 44 3770