Roman Tear Bottle

Small glass bottles like this one are often referred to as tear bottles but are more properly known as unguentaria. They are found in ancient Roman and Greek tombs in large quantities. Many people believe the romantic notion that these bottles were used to hold the tears of mourners and then buried along with the deceased. However, there is no evidence that this is true.

Using chemical analysis, scientists discovered that these bottles contained perfumes and unguents which were used to anoint the recently deceased. Expensive fragrant plants like frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon were infused in oils and applied to the body or the cloths wrapping it. Similar aromatic resins were also laid out alongside the body to mask the odor of decay between the death and the funeral. Then they were cast onto the funeral pyre along with the body or added to the tomb with other offerings. These practices both indicated the high social status of the deceased and helped in the spirit’s transition to the afterlife.

Bottles of this variety date back to the rapid growth of the Roman glass industry during the early first century CE. They were made using a technique known as mold-blowing, which allowed for mass production. With this method, a glassblower blows a ball of hot glass into a two-part mold and inflates it to take the shape of the mold. He then separates the halves of the mold to remove the piece and continues to work the glass while it is still hot to form the rim and any other needed details. During this stage, the mold could be reassembled to start the process over again.

The green coloration present in this bottle was likely made by adding iron to the molten glass during the blowing process. There is also a spot of iridescence present on the bottom of the bottle. This effect was most likely not intentional. Iridescence in glass from this period usually appears as the result of chemical decomposition due to the glass’s contact with the damp and acidic soils surrounding it in its archaeological context.

This tear bottle is on exhibit in Museum of World Cultures: Highlights from the UNC-Wilmington Collection through February 14, 2026.

Curation for this post was completed by Nick Beckom (’26).