| Antiquities |
Alabastrum or Alabaster (alabastron, alabastos). A small tapering or pear-shaped vessel, having no feet, used for holding perfumes and ointments. Such vessels were originally made of alabaster, of which the variety called onyx-alabaster was usually employed for this purpose. It is doubtful, however, whether the vessels were named from the material, or vice versa. They are also found of stone and terra-cotta, with a white or cream-colored ground and black figures. Other materials were in use--as glass, and even gold (chruseia alabastra, Theocr. xv. 114). The alabastra usually had no handles, though we sometimes find specimens with them. They are first mentioned by Herodotus (iii. 20). Some of these vessels had a long narrow neck, which was sealed; so that when the woman in the Gospels is said to break the alabaster box of ointment, it appears probable that she only broke the extremity of the neck which was thus closed. (cf. Becker-Göll, Gallus, ii. p. 378). (references) |
