Large Glass Lacrimarium, Late Roman Period

Legend has it that in ancient times, the relatives of the deceased would collect their tears in vessels specially designed for this sorrowful occasion and place them beside the dead as a memento of their mourning. These flasks came to be known as “lacrimaria” (tear-catchers), named after their contents—tears (*lacrima*). While the story is poetic, there is no evidence to support it; numerous chemical analyses of the residues found in these vials suggest instead that they held scented oils or ointments. This was certainly the case for the piece offered here—a large vessel whose remarkable iridescence attests to its antiquity.

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