{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O340457"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O340457/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KB9447/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KB9447/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KB9447","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB9448","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MA8385","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O340457/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O340457","accessionNumber":"1987-1901","objectType":"Ampulla","titles":[{"title":"St Menas ampulla","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Flasks such as these were used by pilgrims to Egypt, in order to bring home oil or water that they collected when visiting the pilgrimage site for Saint Menas, at Abu Mena. Saint Menas is belived to have been a third Century Roman soldier, martyred for his Christian faith. He is typically depicted, as on this flask, with both arms raised, the traditional pose of an <i>orant</i>. He is also commonly shown flanked by a pair of camels, who as the story goes, returned his body for burial. \n\n","physicalDescription":"Moulded pale earthenware pilgrim flask, with rounded body, neck with slightly flared rim, and ring handles. Both sides of the body depict an impressed image of Saint Menas, standing with arms raised, and flanked by a pair of camels. The image is surrounded by a notched circle.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"earthenware","id":"x29356"}],"techniques":[{"text":"firing","id":"AAT53887"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Moulded earthenware","categories":[{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"}],"styles":[{"text":"Egyptian","id":"AAT20251"},{"text":"Late Antique","id":"AAT20666"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2017KB9447","2017KB9448","2019MA8385"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES334774"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ampulla","id":"AAT198899"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Abu-Menas, Alexandria","id":"x36903"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 6th century - mid 7th century","earliest":"0550-01-01","latest":"0675-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Diameter of spout","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":".","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This ampulla is typical of those made at the monastery of Abu Menas, south of Alexandria in Egypt. Pilgrims would take them home filled with water from the miraculous spring, holy oil from the lamp hanging above the saint's shrine or dust sanctified by contact with the shrine. Given the popularity of the pilgrimage site, these ampullae are found in archaeological deposits across Europe, carried far and wide by pilgrims, hence its exact modern provenance remains unknown.\r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Moulded unglazed earthenware flask with depiction of St Menas, from Egypt, Abu Mena (near Alexandria), late 6th-mid 7th Century AD","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1987-1901"],"accessionNumberNum":"1987","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1901,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-16","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}