For our tenth episode, we celebrate by visiting the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam together after over six weeks apart. We explore the temporary exhibition “Van Glas Gemaakt in de Oudheid” (Glass Made in Antiquity), discuss what we see, and each pick objects to sketch as part of our archaeological journaling practice.

The exhibition features over 200 glass objects, mostly from the museum’s own collection. What strikes us immediately is how well-curated everything is. Each piece has room to breathe, with clear labelling on translucent glass that echoes the exhibition’s colour scheme. The lighting is particularly impressive, neither too bright nor too dim, making the glass surfaces and patterns clearly visible. Every object is numbered sequentially, and the catalogue functions like a workbook with margins for notes, references, and detailed provenance information where available.

We’re surprised by how much is intact. Many pieces show no signs of damage, looking as though you could pick them up and use them today. This connects to something we find fascinating: the continuity of use. Olive oil bottles, wine jugs, and dishes. We still use glass for the same purposes they did in antiquity, even if the shapes look different. The exhibition spans different regions (Roman territories, Eastern Mediterranean, and what is now the UK) and shows how similar vessel types appear across cultures.

There’s also modern glass in the exhibition, including design student projects. Ironically, some of these modern pieces look more fragile than the ancient ones, with shattered edges and missing rims. The exhibition includes research methods, too. They’ve set up an RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging) station in one of the display cases, showing how they use light-based imaging for detailed analysis.

For our sketches, we pick three objects divided between us. One chooses a Karcesium, a free-blown translucent beaker from Syria (50-150 AD), appreciating that it was shaped by hand rather than mold. Another picks the banana. Yes, a glass banana from 19th-century Italy (probably), complete with ribs and traces of yellow paint. The label actually says “Banan?” because they’re not entirely sure what it is. The third choice is a shallow dish from the first century AD, completely intact with only minor weathering. It looks exactly like a modern dessert dish (now we want cake). Checking the provenance, we discover it came from the Scheurer Lehr collection, a banker and collector who founded parts of the museum’s holdings, with no connection to the Nazi period.

We both agree the exhibition is worth visiting if you’re in Amsterdam before March 1st. There’s a cafe next door, and you can also see the rest of the museum, including the Kore and the Lion’s Horoscope. We finish our sketches at home, where we feel more comfortable refining the details without blocking other visitors’ views.

Exhibition Details

Title: Van Glas Gemaakt in de Oudheid (Glass Made in Antiquity)Location: Allard Pierson Museum, AmsterdamDates: Through March 1st, 2025Website: allardpiersonmuseum.nl

Objects Featured

Karcesium (Beaker) - 50-150 AD, Syria (Palmyra), free-blown translucent colourless glass, 10 cm high, museum collection since 1950

Object in the Shape of a Banana (Banan?) - 19th century (?), Italy (?), translucent glass with yellow paint traces, 12 cm wide, museum collection since 2008

Shallow Dish - First century AD, transparent green glass, 28 cm wide, intact condition, acquired 1923 (Scheurer Lehr collection), museum collection since 1934

Research Methods Featured

* RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging): Light-based imaging technique for detailed glass analysis, with actual setup displayed in the exhibition

Image references

Images taken by either Jona or Stefanie during the visit.

Credits

* Intro and outro music: “Meeting for Two – Background Music for Video Vlog (Hip Hop version, 43s)” via Pixabay Music by White_Records

* Editing and post-production: Jona Schlegel

* Cover art: Stefanie Ulrich

Things We Threw Away – Where to Find the Podcast

* TWTA on Substack – Updates, transcripts, and reflections from the project

* TWTA on Spotify – Listen and follow via Spotify

* TWTA on Apple Podcasts – Available through the Apple Podcasts directory

* TWTA on Instagram – Visual updates, behind the scenes, and illustrated content

* TWTA on Bluesky – Public discussions, reflections, and cross-links

Projects by the team members

Jona Schlegel

* Follow on Instagram (@archaeoink): Visual science communication through illustration, websites and archaeology

* jonaschlegel.com: Portfolio and background on archaeological communication, coding, and design

* archaeoink.com: Illustrated archaeology, blog posts, newsletter, and research-based visual storytelling

* pastforwardhub.com: A platform for (freelance) archaeologists who want to create a more sustainable career, be visible, and connect with others

Stefanie Ulrich

* Follow on Instagram (@thepublicarchaeologist): Photography of archaeological objects, and material encounters with a special focus on ancient Rome

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thingswethrewaway.substack.com/subscribe