Collection of Four Polychrome Anthropomorphic Glass Beads / Head Pendants – Possibly Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
A distinctive collection of four polychrome glass anthropomorphic beads and head pendants, each depicting a highly stylised human face or head and displaying elaborate applied-glass decoration.
The group demonstrates a remarkable variety of facial forms, colours and decorative elements, including applied eyes, noses, lips, ears, headdresses and twisted glass trails. The colour palette includes deep blue, red, white, cream and green glass.
1. Anthropomorphic Glass Head
Height: 30 mm
A stylised male head with a light-coloured face, prominent nose, applied blue and white glass eyes, red lips, and a dark blue headdress with an elaborate beard or collar formed from applied glass elements.
Proposed attribution: Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
Proposed date: circa 5th–3rd century BC
Type: Anthropomorphic glass head / pendant
2. Anthropomorphic Glass Head
Height: 33 mm
A strongly stylised human head with a prominent nose, lateral applied eyes, ears and additional applied glass elements forming the headdress. The piece displays contrasting cream, green and dark-coloured glass.
The surface exhibits extensive weathering and age-related alteration, while the sides and reverse reveal a three-dimensional applied-glass construction.
Proposed attribution: Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
Proposed date: circa 6th–4th century BC
Type: Glass head / pendant
3. Large Polychrome Glass Face Bead
Height: 35 mm
The largest and most distinctive piece in the group.
A substantial dark cobalt-blue glass bead featuring a prominent red applied human face, with layered glass eyes and an elaborate surrounding frame formed from twisted white and dark glass trails.
The body is longitudinally pierced, consistent with the construction of ancient glass beads intended for suspension or stringing.
The combination of cobalt-blue glass, red facial elements, layered eyes and twisted applied-glass trails is particularly noteworthy and shows strong stylistic affinities with known Phoenician, Punic and Carthaginian polychrome glass face beads.
Proposed attribution: Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
Proposed date: circa 5th–3rd century BC
Type: Large anthropomorphic face bead
Height: 35 mm
4. Polychrome Glass Face Bead / Pendant
Height: 28 mm
A rounded anthropomorphic glass piece depicting a stylised human face, with prominent applied eyes, central nose, red lips, lateral ears and a raised element at the top of the head.
The face incorporates multiple applied glass elements in contrasting colours, with visible surface weathering and age-related deposits.
Proposed attribution: Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
Proposed date: circa 6th–3rd century BC
Type: Anthropomorphic glass face bead / pendant
Height: 28 mm
Group Specifications
Culture: Possibly Phoenician / Punic / Carthaginian
Date: Proposed circa 6th–3rd century BC
Material: Polychrome glass
Technique: Applied and trail-decorated glass; possibly rod-formed / core-formed construction
Quantity: 4 pieces
Dimensions: 28–35 mm in height
Condition: Surface weathering, deposits and age-related alterations are present throughout; please refer to the photographs.
Provenance & Documentation
A comparable group of four glass pieces of similar type was reportedly sold at Christie’s for approximately €46,000.
The present collection is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, the original purchase invoice, and an official export certificate, providing important supporting documentation for the provenance and legal export history of the pieces.
Documentation: Certificate of Authenticity, purchase invoice and export certificate included with the lot.
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