Ca. 500 - 300 BC.
An amazing Phoenician necklace with eight glass head-shaped pendants. The necklace is comprised of dozens of ancient Phoenician yellow faience beads alternated to blue glass beads including eight unique glass multi-colour pendants head shaped made with different details with big blue eyes (missing in two pendants); each one has a coloured twisted hat. Semi-opaque cobalt blue, with additions in opaque yellow, translucent pale yellow-brown, and back or blue eyes. Cylindrical with large rod hole at bottom, slightly indented on top; arched rounded edge at back, front projecting downwards; applied suspension loop on top of head. Phoenician glass production stands as a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of this ancient civilization. Dating back to the 15th century BC, the Phoenicians mastered the art of glassmaking, establishing themselves as pioneers in the field. The heart of Phoenician glass production lay in coastal cities such as Sidon, Tyre, and Byblos, where abundant resources like silica sand, soda ash, and lime were readily available. These raw materials, combined with their expertise in furnace technology, allowed the Phoenicians to produce glass of exceptional quality. For similar see: MET Museum Accession Number: 81.10.151.
Size: 300mm x 25mm; Weight: 30g
Provenance: Prince collection, 1990s-2014; Ex. Binoche' Paris, 30 May 2012, lot 117. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.