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SALAMIS IN THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS.
BY ALEXANDER PALMA DI CESNOLÀ, F.S.A.,
page 91

causes, or affected by the earth itself, which has produced another kind of iridescence, and the substance of this glass has become flaky. I have reason to believe that these facts have not been recorded until now. They are at once curious and instructive. Of the numberless varieties of iridescent glass bottles and vases, I have selected a few for illustrating this part of my work. The accompanying woodcut (fig. 190) shews an elegant shaped bottle of the Greek period, fifteen inches in height, richly coloured now by the effects of time, which has enhanced its beauty with an iridescent lustre of opalescent and golden flashes of light and colour. The depressions are made roundthe body in two rows, probably for ornament, rather than for rendering the grip of the hand on the vessel more secure. Another (fig. 191), of equal height to that which has been already mentioned, comes also from Salamis, and in form may be considered somewhat rare. The depressions in this example are in size larger, and smaller in number. The depth to which they are pressed into the body reduces the capacity of the vessel very much. Closely resembling these bottles, and of the same date, is a flat bowl (fig. 192), with a circular lip, widening outwards all round, and having four well-marked depressions on the side. There are, also, in the collection twelve small and very-heavy archaic unguentaria of bluish-green colour, with a small orifice, all of which come from Phœnician tombs. Some of them closely resemble the oldest Egyptian glass lachrymatories. Vessels of the kind shewn in the annexed illustrations (figs. 193, 194) are also of considerable rarity. The tall cup is eight inches high, and has a small foot and banded lip or mouth. The bowl is five inches high, and nine inches in diameter. Both these, as well as others in the collection, are studded with little tears, or drops of glass, and produce a bizarre effect. Their style of ornament may be compared with that upon some of the ancient unglazed terra-cotta fìctilia from Ialysos in Rhodes, now exhibited in the First Greek Vase Boom in the British Museum. The iridescence upon these glass bowls is of a magnificent nature. These also come from Salaminian tombs. The elegant drinking vessel which forms the subject of the accompanying woodcut (fig. 195), from a friend's collection, I introduce here for comparison with the moulded glass' in the Lawrence-Cesnola collection. But it so closely resembles the form and style of glass vessels found in the island of Cyprus, that it may well have been found in the island. On this is moulded, or impressed in relief, the Greek inscription in capital letters:—ΚΑΙ ΕΥΦΡΑΙΝΟΥ. The entire legend on a few other specimens of the same kind of drinking cup, found in Cyprus, is, Κατάχαψε και εύφραίνου, signifying, "Rejoice, and be merry." There is a very similar specimen exhibited among the ancient glass in the British Museum.

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