This piece is a modern Scavo glass item from Murano, Italy, and was probably made between the 1950s and 1970s. Although the design is inspired by antique or medieval forms, the technique itself is a 20th-century invention designed to give the glass an ‘excavated’ (archaeological) appearance. The term ‘Scavo’ (Italian for ‘excavation’) refers to a technique in which mixtures of powders and oxides are fused onto the hot glass surface at approximately 800°C. This creates a matt, rough texture resembling the weathering of glass that has lain underground for centuries. The goblet features nubs (prunts), a decorative technique used in the Middle Ages to prevent the glass from slipping out of greasy hands. Modern Murano glassblowers such as Alfredo Barbini and firms such as Cenedese and Seguso have incorporated these classic elements into their Scavo collections. H: 14.5 cm. – 450 grams.