Roman Glass Vessels in the Graves of the Germanic Elite in Slovakia

The phenomenon of the graves of the Germanic elite in Slovakia has been the subject of multiple studies. Most of them, however, focus on the typological and chronological analyses of the preserved finds, which are often very luxurious items. Almost all graves contained imported Roman glass of diverse quality and quantity. The present study provides a detailed analysis of these finds, but contrary to previous studies, it focuses on their function and their origins. The study reveals that the Germanic elite was strongly influenced by Roman culture. By analyzing this select type of finds—glass—we tried to determine how Roman culture affected different spheres of Germanic life.