Fragment of an Inlay Depicting a Theater Mask
late 1st century BCE-early 1st century CE
Egyptian
Egypt
This half face of a woman or theatrical mask was made from a bundle of dozens of colorful glass rods that were fused together. The resulting bar or cane of glass was then heated and stretched out, thereby miniaturizing the pattern. Slices of the cane were placed in symmetrical pairs to form a complete face. Such inlays embellished furniture, boxes, and household shrines to the gods.
Glass, mosaic glass technique