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# C H A P T E R 8 Ring-Base Dishes Sheila D. Matthews Illustrated by Sheila Matthews Aunique kind of glass flatware is represented by a few fragmentary examples recovered from the wreck (Fig. 8-1). It differs from other dishes and plates by its flatness, narrow rim, and the presence of a looped or solid ring base. The shape was formed by spinning a disc of glass out to the desired diameter, then folding it down and back onto itself to form a looped base and flat rim. The bases are generally narrow oval or teardrop-shaped in section, unlike the more tubular looped bases on some bowls and bottles. In one case, RB 8, the sides of the fold were pressed together so that no hollow remains. None of the dishes in this category show evidence of mold decoration, and threading or trailing is limited to RB 7. Unfortunately, no centers or pontil marks survive. Except for fully illustrated RB 4, most examples consist of small fragments of rims and bases. There are three possible functions for flatware in this form. One is that they served the same function as dishes in other categories. The small diameters of the surviving examples, however, suggest that this is not the case. A second possibility is that they served an auxiliary function, perhaps as decorative stands of some sort. A third and more interesting possibility is that they were lids. Two ninth-century parallels, one from Iran and the other from Iraq, have cross sections identical to those from Serçe Limanı. Unfortunately, because none of the Serçe Limanı pieces are completely preserved it is impossible to determine if knobs were ever present on them. Their use as lids, however, might explain why their looped bases are in general much narrower and taller than those of other glass shapes. Few other parallels have been published; an early Byzantine base from Sardis has its bottom and rim in the same plane, but, having neither lip nor side wall preserved, it could be from a completely different type of object.3 All fragments were found within the midships cargo area of cullet; site proveniences of individual shards are given when known. The glass appears to be of fairly good quality, with thick walls and no apparent manufacturing faults. It is divided into three types on the basis of base shape. Rims are undecorated, except for RB 7. Other than RB 9 they are simple in outline. For the catalog, base diameter is from the base’s outer sides. Rim width is in most instances approximate. Rim thickness is at a point between the rim edge and the looped base when possible. TYPE I. LOOPED BASE Type IA. Upward Angled Rim RB 1. Light green (Fig. 8-2); h. 0.019–0.022; rim diam. 0.21; est. base diam 0.20; base h. 0.01–0.012; loop w. 0.005; est. rim w. 0.011; rim th. 0.001; glass quality poor; joining sections of rim and base; this is the sole example in which the base angles inward. Loop height, 0.003–0.005, is irregular; hollow partly filled with sediment. N3, O4. 102 part Iv: shallow dishes RB 6. Yellow-green (Fig. 8-2); pres. h. 0.01; base diam. 0.16; base h. 0.007–0.008; loop w. 0.0045; rim th. 0.0005; glass quality fair; small parts of base and bottom, rim edge missing ; preserved areas indicate that rim probably had a slight arc. N3, N4. Type IC. Downward-Angled Rim RB 7. Ring-Base Dish. Inv. No. GW 281. (Fig. 8-2). Unknown prov. H. 0.01; est. base diam. 0.16; base h. 0.007; loop w. 0.005; est. rim w. 0.014–0.018; rim th. 0.0015; bottom th. 0.002; thread w. 0.0015–0.002. Yellow-green. Thickened rim; glass quality good. Short length of rim and part of bottom; less than 25 preserved. Bottom level near looped base; central area curves upward above rim to a preserved height of 0.018. Blue-green thread on upper surface at edge of rim. TYPE II. SOLID RING BASE Type IIB. Horizontal Rim RB 8. Light amber (Fig. 8-2); pres. h. 0.006; est. base diam. 0.044; base h. 0.005; loop w. 0.005; est. rim w. 0.016; rim th. 0.0015; glass quality fair; small fragment of base with no rim edge; base formed...

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