As we hold this large and gorgeous bowl in our hands today, it is amazing to think that a citizen of the Roman Empire held it in a similar fashion centuries ago. Much has changed in the world since then; mighty empires have come and gone. Yet this fragile bowl remains intact, with only a delicate encrustation to mark the passage of time. As we admire the vessel's graceful beauty, we cannot help but wonder who that vanished Roman was, or what he or she felt. Our imagination takes flight, and we are transported to a distant age.