Janiform Head Flask
Roman, probably Eastern Mediterranean · 100–400 CE · Cleveland Museum of Art
Guide
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From the museum
Called Janiform after Janus, the two-faced Roman god associated with doorways and beginnings, two-faced head flasks like this were popular across the Roman Empire. The faces themselves, quite similar to one another, could both represent Janus, although he is typically bearded and here the gender is unclear. Some other two-faced head flasks clearly differentiate between the two sides, showing one serious, the other smiling. The iridescence covering much of the surface obscures the original violet-like color.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
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Details
- Maker
- Roman, probably Eastern Mediterranean
- Date
- 100–400 CE
- Medium
- glass, mold-blown
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 4.6 cm (1 13/16 in.); Overall: 6.4 cm (2 1/2 in.)
- Place of origin
- Roman
- Held by
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · On view · 103 Roman
- Credit line
- Gift of J. H. Wade
Image: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0