archaicwonder:Rare Roman Rock Crystal Pyxis with Bronze Chain, 3rd Century ADDue to the limited sour
archaicwonder:Rare Roman Rock Crystal Pyxis with Bronze Chain, 3rd Century ADDue to the limited sources of the material and the labor-intensive process of making the vessels, rock crystal vessels were rare and expensive luxury items in the Roman world. A small pyxis such as this example probably contained expensive perfumed oils. Like the Greeks before them, the Romans believed that rock crystal was ice that had been hardened through intense freezing. Fittingly, such a miraculous stone was believed to have the powers of an amulet and was highly valued. The stone’s hardness made it difficult to work but also highly desirable because the finished piece possessed a glossy finish and was resistant to scratches. To hollow out the vessel, an artisan used ground emery as an abrasive. -- source link