Northern Mesopotamia (Hurrian sphere; likely from Nuzi, Tel al-Fakhar, or related sites)

Mesopotamian Core-Formed Glass Bottle of the Late Bronze Age

2092

Late Bronze Age, c. mid–late 15th century BCE

A rare Mesopotamian core-formed glass bottle of the Late Bronze Age (c. mid–late 15th century BCE), among the earliest glass vessels produced by human hands. The vessel has an ovoid body pointing at the base, a tall cylindrical neck, and a rounded outsplayed rim, measuring 13.3 cm in height. The body is opaque cobalt-blue glass enriched with applied white, green, and yellow glass threads organized into four distinct polychrome zones: a sharp zigzag pattern on the neck; rhythmic festoons at the shoulder; a secondary interlocking zigzag band across the central body; looping festoons terminating near the pointed base; and a solid yellow thread accenting the rim. The applied polychrome trails are marvered into the blue body as low-relief ridges, producing a tangible surface topography. Under directional light, the raised trails cast microscopic shadows within the combed troughs, generating a subtle chiaroscuro that emphasizes the rich vitreous depth of early Mesopotamian glass.