Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

VITRUM. VITRUTJM. 21 l.1
the workman became liable for the value of the Portland Vase, formerly known as the Barberini
oessel destroyed. (Dig. 9. tit. 2. s. 27. ~ 29; see Vase, which is now in the British Museum. It was
Salmasius ad Vopise. Saturnl. c. 8.) The art of found about three hundred years ago, at a short
etching upon glass, now so common, was entirely distance from Rome, in a marble coffin within a
unknown, since it depends upon the properties sepulchral vault, pronounced upon very imperfect
of fluoric acid, a clhemical discovery of the last evidence to have been the tomb of Alexander Secentury. verus. The extreme beauty of this urn led Mont.
We may now briefly enumerate the chief uses faucon and other antiquaries to mistake it for a
to which glass was applied. real sardonyx. Upon more accurate examination it
1. Bottles, vases, cups, and cinerary urns. A was ascertained to be composed of dark blue glass,
great number of these may be seen in the British of a very rich tint, on the surface of which are de-.
MSluseum and all the principal continental cabinets, lineated in relief several minute and elaborately
but especially in the Museo Borbonico at Naples, wrought figures of opaque white enamel. It has
which contains the spoils of Herculaneum and been determined by persons of the greatest practiPompeii, and includes upwards of 2400 specimens cal experience, that these figures must have been
of ancient glass. These sufficiently prove the taste, moulded separately, and afterwards fixed to the
ingenuity, and consummate skill lavished upon such blue-surface by a partial fusion; but the union has
labours; many which have been shaped by the been effected with such extraordinary care and
blowpipe only, are remarkable for their graceful dexterity, that no trace of the junction can be obform and brilliant colours, while others are of the served, nor have the most delicate lines received
most delicate and complicated workmanship. A the slightest injury. With such samples before us,
very remarlkable object belonging to the last class, we need not wonder that in the time of Nero a
the property of the Trivulsi family, is described in pair of moderate-sized glass cups with handles
the notes to Winckelmann (i. c. 2. ~ 21) and figured (pteroti) sometimes cost fifty pounds (-1S. set
snillibus, Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 66). For a full description of the Portland Vase, see the eightlh
volume of the Archaeologia.
~- H~l at\ o n~mi z ng2. Class Pastes presenting fac-similes, either in
relief or intaglio, of engraved precious stones. In
this way have been preserved exact copies of many
beautiful gems, of which the originals no longer
exist, as may be seen from the catalogues of Stosch,
l' lv } 5 A V h of Tassie, of the Orleans collection, and from similar
publications. These were in demand for the rings of
Ii,~ v JvA kdJL._g( such persons as were not wealthy enough to purchase
KWt\Xff>2/>V A ofTreal stones, as we perceive from the phrase " vitreis
\ER\P V Pa ( 41 ) 5 5ennzis ex v2lqi aennlis." (Plin. IH. N. xxxv. 30.)
Large medallions also of this kind are still preserved, and bas-reliefs of considerable magnitude.
(See Winckelmann, i. c. 2. ~ 27.)
3. Closely allied to the preceding were imitations
of coloured precious stones, such as the carbuncle,
the sapphire, the amethyst, and above all, the emerald. These counterfeits were executed with such
fidelity, that detection was extremely difficult, and
here. It is a glass cup contained within a sort great profits were realised by dishonest dealers
of network, also of glass, to which it is attached who entrapped the unwary. (Plin. iI. N. xxxvii.
by a series of short and very fine glass props placed 75.) That such frauds were practised even upon
at equal distances from each other. Round the the most exalted in station is seen from the anecrim are several letters connected with the cup in dote given by Trebellius Pollio of the whimsical
the same manner as the network, and forming the vengeance taken by Gallienus (Gall. c. 12) on a
words BIBE VIVAS MULTOS ANNOS. The cha- rogue who had cheated him in this way, and colracters of the inscription are green, the network is lections are to be seen at Rome of pieces of coloured
blue, the cup itself resembles opal, shades of red, glass which were evidently once worn as jewels,
wlhite, yellow and blue predominating in turn ac- from which they cannot be distinguished by the
cording to the angle at which the light falls upon eye. (Plin. H. N. xxxvii. 26. 33. 75; Senec. ELp.
it. It was at first believed that this effect was 90; Isidor. Orig. xvi. 15. ~ 27; Beckmann, History
the result of long interment beneath the ground; of Inventions, vol. i. p. 199. Eng. Trans. 3d edit.)
but it is much more likely to have been produced 4. One very elegant application of glass deserves
by the artist, for it corresponds precisely to the to be particularly noticed. A number of fine stalks
account given of two precious cups presented by an of glass of different colours were placed vertically,
Egyptian priest to the emperor Adrian, and cha- and arranged in such a manner as to depict upon
racterised as calices allassontes versicolores. (Vopisc. the upper surface some figure or pattern, upon the
Saturn?. c. 8.) Neither the letters nor the network principle of a minute mosaic. The filaments thus
have been soldered to the cup, but the whole has combined were then subjected to such a degree of
been cut of a solid mass, after the manner of a heat as would suffice to soften without melting
cameo, the marks of the wheel being still visible them, and were thus cemented together into a
on the little props, which are more or less angular solid mass. It is evident that the picture brought
according as the instrument was able to reach them out upon the upper surface would extend down
completely or not. But the great triumph of an- through the whole of the little column thus formed,
cient genius in this department is the celebrated and hence if it was cut into thin slices at right