In the hushed light of a museum gallery, Hallie Meredith discovered something intriguing about ancient Roman glasswork hiding in plain sight. It was February 2023, and the Washington State University art history professor and glassblower was examining a private collection of Roman glass cage cups at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
These delicate works of luxury were carved from a single block of glass between 300 and 500 CE and have been studied for centuries for their beauty. Meredith's revelation was not the result of advanced imaging or new technology but rather a simple act of curiosity: turning one of the vessels around.
