This volume, which is a welcome contribution to the discussion of cross-frontier relations during the Roman Empire, is based on a 2003 doctoral thesis. The core of the work is an examination of all finds of vessel (and window) glass from non-Roman/native sites north of Hadrian's Wall dated mainly to the Roman Iron Age (a.d. 1–400). The catalogue covers a major part of the volume, giving the reader a useful biography of each vessel type, providing information on use, date, function and context within the Roman world, as well as listing parallels found elsewhere outside the Roman Empire.

The data primarily consist of very small and fragmented settlement finds, as graves are extremely rare. Ingemark's intention is to use the data to shed light on Roman-Native interaction and the exchange of goods and ideas. He convincingly rejects former theories that the material was loot from abandoned Roman sites and argues that the vessels entered the region intact, primarily as a result of peaceful contacts. The majority of finds belong to the world of feasting and drinking, the single largest group being that of unspectacular cylindrical and prismatic bottles, which I. argues could have been used for wine. Along with cups and beakers, these were symbols of power to the native élite; something paralleled elsewhere outside the Empire and particularly in Roman Iron Age Scandinavia. To support his argumentation, I. uses sources from classical and prehistoric archaeology, ancient and medieval history, anthropology and sociology. The range of Roman glass vessels from native sites in the region is narrow, which reflects a deliberate choice and a specific meaning. Through both classical and early medieval insular sources, I. shows how feasting and generosity were integral parts of preserving power in Celtic and Germanic societies. By giving feasts and presenting gifts, the chief created bonds of loyalty, something also supported by modern anthropological studies.

I. studies Roman drinking customs and the possible export of wine, as well as drinking customs in the later prehistoric period, in order to investigate whether the local élite could have adopted Roman customs. An important feature of prehistoric customs is the communal vessel, which is passed around from the host to the guests according to rank. This is reflected by drinking horns, which, according to I., could not be put down unless empty. In Roman society all participants had their own vessel. Evidence both from the settlements north of Hadrian's Wall and in the Germanic regions (not Free Germany, which is a nineteenth-century misunderstanding of Tacitus) suggests the use of several vessels, which indicates an understanding of Roman customs among the local élites. This, however, should not be construed as a substitution for but rather as complementary to local customs.

Through the intellectual import of ideas along with Roman objects for a particular purpose, the local élites used prestige goods and the knowledge of how they worked as a means to preserve power. Knowledge along with wealth and ‘generosity’ thus constitute I.'s tripartite prestige goods model. The evidence suggests that Roman prestige goods were selected by the élite rather than being an arbitrary choice and that political rather than commercial incentives drove the import. The distribution of vessels shows considerable regional differences, for instance, almost half the finds come from Traprain Law in East Lothian. Other regions such as northern Northhumberland are almost void. This may well reflect different alliances with Rome.

I. has produced a solid volume, in which he thoroughly discusses the significance of the Roman glass vessels and Roman and prehistoric drinking customs. Although I am not entirely convinced by his arguments concerning the significance of the communal cup in Roman Iron Age Germania, these, like all his arguments, are thoroughly backed up by numerous references. However, he only touches very lightly upon the question of how these objects reached Scotland, mentioning ‘trade’ without going into much detail. This may be of more urgency for the study of élite graves in Scandinavia, which are so much further away from the Empire, but what is the significance of the varied distribution pattern? It would have been desirable to include a brief discussion of the nature of contact, whether trade or political relations. That said, this work will be of great use for scholars working on Germanic élite graves, and other regions around the Roman Empire. A very interesting result of I.'s analyses is that a region where the primary context is settlements is so well suited for comparison with regions for which theories are based on grave finds.