THE REFLECTİON OF MORTALİTY İN GLASS: AN EVALUATİON OF GLASS URNS FROM THE ROMAN IMPERİAL PERİOD

Authors : Ömür Dünya Çakmaklı

Pages : 84-101

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Publication Date : 2025-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The urns possess considerable significance in ancient Roman funerary practices and, more broadly, in Roman culture. They function not only as containers for preserving the ashes of the deceased but also as essential symbols in the commemoration of the dead. It is noteworthy, however, that glass, one of the most prevalent materials utilized during the Roman Imperial period, is rarely identified in urn production, whereas terracotta urns are ubiquitous. This scarcity complicates efforts to ascertain the demographic distinctions associated with these vessels, including factors such as gender, age, and social status, as well as variations in the geographical distribution of finds. Furthermore, most glass urns documented in contemporary literature originate from museum and private collections, where their provenance and chronological context remain ambiguous. Additionally, anthropological and archaeometric studies have not been conducted on these artifacts, leaving their origins largely indeterminate. This study aims to evaluate the role of these urns within the context of funerary practices by examining existing literature on Roman Imperial glass urns and addressing the aforementioned questions.
Keywords : Cam, Roma İmparatorluk Dönemi, Mezar Urnesi, Nekropol, Kremasyon