Bead - Phoenician Eye Glass Bead

Phoenician Eye Glass Bead - Eastern Mediterranean, circa 6th–3rd Century BC
Material : Core-formed glass with applied eye decoration

Measurements
Weight: 3.07 g
Height: 13 mm
Width: 13.4 mm

Description
An ancient Phoenician deep cobalt-blue glass bead decorated with multiple applied concentric “eye” motifs in white and light blue glass.

The bead is rounded and slightly cylindrical in form, pierced longitudinally. The surface is embellished with raised circular eye elements, each composed of layered contrasting glass, creating the characteristic protective “evil eye” motif.

The bead displays extensive surface weathering and iridescent encrustation consistent with long burial, further supporting authenticity.

Historical Context
Eye beads were among the most iconic products of Phoenician glass workshops. Produced across the Levant particularly in regions corresponding to modern Lebanon, Syria, and coastal Israel, these beads were widely traded throughout the Mediterranean.

Phoenician merchants, renowned seafarers and traders, distributed such beads across:
North Africa
Cyprus
Greece
Southern Italy
Iberia

They have been recovered from burial contexts stretching from Carthage to the Aegean.

The “eye” motif was believed to provide protection against malevolent forces — particularly the evil eye — making these beads both ornamental and apotropaic (protective).

Glass Technology & Color Production
Phoenician glassmakers were among the most advanced artisans of the ancient world.
Their colors were achieved through careful control of mineral additives:
Cobalt produced the deep, intense blue ground color.
Antimony and tin compounds created opaque white decoration.
Copper compounds could produce lighter blue and turquoise tones.

The bead was likely produced using the core-forming technique, in which molten glass was wound around a removable clay core, then decorated with applied trails of contrasting glass while still hot.

This technology spread widely and influenced Greek, Roman, and later Islamic glassmaking traditions.

Phoenician glass became so famous that “Sidonian glass” (from Sidon) was referenced in classical sources as a luxury export.

Condition
Very good ancient condition.
The bead shows stable surface weathering, mineral deposits, and minor burial accretions consistent with antiquity. The perforation remains intact and structurally sound.

No modern restoration observed.

Provenance
From a European private collection, formed in the late 20th century.
A provenance statement and declaration of legal origin can be provided in PDF format upon request.