The Portland Vase

British Museum day. The vase is cameo glass, probably made in Rome around 15 BC - AD 25.
The Portland Vase is one of the finest surviving pieces of Roman glass, and is named after the Dukes of Portland who owned it from 1785 to 1945.

It is made of cameo glass, a technique in which vessels and plaques, some free-blown, some cast, are created with two or more layers of glass, and are decorated by carving.