Pilgrimage Jug with Christian Symbols

Description

Glass workshops outside the walls of Jerusalem mass-produced a series of hexagonal and octagonal jugs with Christian or Jewish symbols on their sides. The vessels with Christian symbols, like this example, have images of the cross alternating with diamond shapes. Such vessels were probably filled with oil from holy sites and sold to pilgrims.

Provenance

Theodore W. and Frances S. Robinson, Chicago, by 1931; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1947.

Pilgrimage Jug with Christian Symbols

Byzantine

578–636

Accession Number

62091

Medium

Glass, mold-blown technique

Dimensions

15 × 9.1 × 7 cm (5 7/8 × 3 9/16 × 2 3/4 in.)

Classification

vessel

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Theodore W. and Frances S. Robinson