The Fractures of Time Exhibition Brings Valuable Archaeological Glassware

Both museums are the organizers, and the connection between the Split and Zadar museums in the field of restoration of archaeological materials started in 2009 when the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar was opened. At the time, the inauguration ceremony was accompanied by a guest exhibition called Ancient Glass of Croatia, which presented a selection of ancient glass from the holdings of the Archaeological Museum in Split, the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, and the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula, the Šibenik City Museum and the Museum of Slavonia and Osijek. A bird-shaped glass vessel from the Split Museum fund was recomposed in the restoration workshop of MAS for that occasion and it will be exhibited as part of this exhibition.

It arose from the desire to transfer the knowledge and acquired skills of the Department for Restoration and Research to a wider professional and other interested public. Otherwise, during its 15 years of work, the Department for Restoration and Research, which operates as part of the Department for Professional Museum Affairs in the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar, has raised the specialist practice of glass restoration to a new level.

The author of the “Fractures of Time” exhibition concept is Šime Perović, PhD, conservator-restorer advisor and curator of the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar. Ivana Matković, Ivana Zrinka Bajić Franković and Šime Perović were in charge of the art set up.

- It is an inter-institutional project between our museum and the Archaeological Museum in Split, and it is based on their joint cooperation on the conservation and restoration of glass objects. Although this methodology for the restoration of archaeological heritage, especially glass, is also present in other museums, in Zadar it has perhaps reached a slightly higher standard, especially since it involves a larger number of objects that we can process for it has been done for 15 years. It has been recognized throughout the museum network in Croatia – Perović told us. 

The mentioned object of bird-like form was restored by Perović himself and it has become the framework of this new story. 

- Following this exhibit, we also selected a corpus of valuable early imperial objects from the ancient Roman period, which were treated in terms of conservation and restoration and were also prepared with all the accompanying elaborations. – he explained

Therefore, this exhibition has divided the 45 exhibits into two groups. The first group consists of objects that belong to the Roman province collection of the Archeological Museum in Split.

- In the first topic, there are objects from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, from that Roman period, in which they stand out with a variability of typology and the representation of objects that are special in all their manufacturing methodologies, from those decorated with filigree thread, from blowing into a mold, from the mosaic type technique additionally decorated with gilding, from an extremely valuable plate additionally decorated with engraving, from a small boat in the shape of a bowl that was used for chips for games that were common at the time, and this is one of those possibilities. I tried to give a counterpoint to the situation we have in our set-up, something to supplement because these are really valuable pieces that would absolutely find their place in the permanent set-up of our rarities – the author pointed out.

Among these objects, the unguentarium of the biconical type stands out decorated with the mosaic technique and multi-colored glass technique shown in gilded variants.

The second group of exhibits, viewed as part of this exhibition, dates from the late antique period, the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, but it also follows the overall story of the positioning of glassmaking in antiquity.

The objects in this group do not have so much opulence, and the shapes are a little more rustic. They are glass bottles from the late antique period with characteristic pot-bellied bodies, long cylindrical necks and a wide, funnel-shaped widened rim.

Once the Zadar exhibition of “Fractures of Time” is over, it will then be exhibited in Split. This exhibition is a great introduction to the period that follows in May, which is the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar, when another very valuable exhibition is awaiting.

Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar

Poljana Zemaljskog odbora 1

23000 Zadar, Croatia

WINTER WORKING TIME

(2. 11. - 30. 4.)

MON - SAT: 9 - 16

SUMMER WORKING HOURS

(1. 5. - 31. 10.)

MON - SUN: 9 - 21 h