CARTHAGE · MID 4TH–3RD CENTURIES BCE
Punic head pendant A glass face made to gaze out from the chest
Glass of different colours forms the eyes, beard and hair of this small head pendant.
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History and context Evidence and facts Objects connected through time Further reading Location and territory Where it is held Sources and references Comments Museum documentation · free public access, no account required.
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Main image 2 DECLARED VISUAL RECONSTRUCTION · AI-GENERATED IMAGE · TRACEKEEPERS Generated reconstruction · Declared visual hypothesis
Declared visual reconstruction; not a photograph of the original nor documentary evidence.
View full image: DECLARED VISUAL RECONSTRUCTION · AI-GENERATED IMAGE · TRACEKEEPERS DECLARED VISUAL RECONSTRUCTION · AI-GENERATED IMAGE · TRACEKEEPERS Generated reconstruction · Declared visual hypothesis
Declared visual reconstruction; not a photograph of the original nor documentary evidence.
View full image: Original documentary · Photograph of the original Original documentary · Photograph of the original Documentary original · Exact correspondence
Documentary photograph of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web adaptation: size and format adjustment, without reconstructing parts or changing the content of the photograph.
The inventory 17.194.735 and the Met fiche 249968 identify the specimen described; this photograph shows its conserved state, not an AI restoration.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art · The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · Inventory: 17.194.735 · CC0 1.0 · Open Access
History and context Punic artisans modelled a small head with coloured glass applied hot. Suspended as a pendant, the face moved with the body and made technique, adornment and possible protection a single presence.
The modern names ‘demon’, ‘mask’ or ‘amulet’ may exceed the scope. The exact piece replaces commercial replicas that circulate without inventory.
Evidence and interpretation Material, technique, Carthaginian chronology, dimensions and inventory are documented. Identity of the face and protective efficacy are not.
Catalogue facts
Date Mid 4th–3rd centuries BCE
Culture Punic · Carthage
Inventory The Met 17.194.735
Material Modelled and applied glass Glass6 Jewellery and adornment36 Beads5 Human imagery73
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2 / 5 In the centre: Punic head pendant
Also connected, without a comparable date (1) These objects are not placed after the others: an unknown date does not mean a more recent object.
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Jewellery and adornment Hohle Fels · ≈40,000 years · Aurignacian · Prehistory'Jamila's' necklace · ≈7250–7000 BCE · PrehistoryThe Gold of Varna · Towards 4600–4200 BCE · ThraciansPuabi headdress · ca. 2600–2450 BCE · SumerCemetery R-37 · ca. 2550–2030 BCE · Indus civilisationCarnelian beads · ca. 2600–1900 BCE · Indus civilisationGrave Circle A and Chrysolakkos · 18th–16th centuries BCE · Greek worldsBurial at K IV · circa 1750–1550 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushTutankhamun's grave goods · death towards 1323 BCE · Ancient EgyptFu Hao’s burial goods · ca. 1200 BCE · Ancient ChinaBefore the Iberias · Final Bronze, c. 1000 BCE · IberiansTomb 1 at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesBeads from Cerro de los Vientos · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansGold at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800–550 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesRegolini-Galassi tomb · ca. 675–650 BCE · Etruscans and RomeCondomina Earring · 6th century BCE · IberiansSteppe kurgans · 7th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaVix Tomb · c. 500 BCE · Celtic worldsLa Venta grave goods · ca. 600–400 BCE · Maya worldsEzerovo Ring · 5th century BCE · chronology discussed in the bibliography · ThraciansGrave goods of Baza and Toya · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansTreasure of Jávea · 4th century BCE · IberiansSusa grave goods · c. 350 BCE · Achaemenid PersiaPunic head pendant · Mid 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Phoenicians — You are viewingTreasure of Cheste · Jewellery from the 4th–3rd centuries BCE; concealment at the end of the 3rd century BCE. · IberiansMarina Alta Hoard · Jewellery: 5th–2nd centuries BCE; concealment probably around 80–73 BCE. · IberiansGolyamata Kosmatka · End of the 4th century – beginning of the 3rd century BCE; ritual burial at the beginning of the III according to Iskra. · ThraciansMairena Hoard · 3rd century BCE · IberiansChão de Lamas pectoral · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · concealed in the early 1st century BCE · IberiansFibula from Lancia · ≈300–100 BCE · IberiansNorthern mound · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Yayoi JapanHorse fibula · 2nd century BCE · disputed chronology · IberiansSimancas-type belt buckle · Second half of the IV century–V century CE · IberiansPakal’s grave goods · sealed on 28 August 683 CE · Maya worldsMissing grave goods · 13th–15th centuries according to the heritage overview · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Beads 'Jamila's' necklace · ≈7250–7000 BCE · PrehistoryCarnelian beads · ca. 2600–1900 BCE · Indus civilisationBeads from Cerro de los Vientos · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansPunic head pendant · Mid 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Phoenicians — You are viewingWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Human imagery Lion-man · ≈40,000 years · Aurignacian · PrehistoryHohle Fels · ≈40,000 years · Aurignacian · PrehistoryWillendorf · ≈29,500 years · PrehistoryBrno II Articulated Figure · ≈28,000 years cal BP · by funerary association · PrehistoryDolní Věstonice I · ≈29,000–27,000 years · PrehistoryLespugue · ≈28,000 years · PrehistoryKostenki I · ≈23,000–21,000 years · PrehistoryShigir Idol · C. 10,000 BCE · approximation; debated dating · PrehistoryNahal Hemar mask · Eighth millennium BCE · context dating, not direct dating of the stone · PrehistoryEl Miradero spatula-idols · ≈4000–3800 cal BCE · PrehistoryWarka Mask · End of the 4th millennium BCE · SumerCueva de las Manos · Sequence ≈9300–1300 BP · PrehistoryUruk Vase · ca. 3300–3000 BCE · SumerWorshiper of Tell Asmar · Towards 2900–2600 BCE · SumerStandard of Ur · ca. 2600–2400 BCE · SumerStatue of Ebih-Il · Towards 2400 BCE · SumerAkkadian sovereign head · Akkadian period · 23rd century BCE · SumerBassetki Statue · Akkadian period · 23rd century BCE · SumerBefore Pre-Inca Cultures · Kotosh-Mito Tradition, c. 2200–1500 BCE; the enclosure is usually situated around 1800 BCE. · Pre-Inca culturesQueen of the Night · 19th–18th centuries BCE · SumerBull-leaping · c. 1600–1450 BCE · Greek worldsWooden faces · c. 1600–1000 BCE, in several phases · Maya worldsHead 2 · c. 1200–900 BCE · Maya worldsIvory in Nimrud · 9th–8th centuries BCE · PhoeniciansLas Limas · c. 1000–600 BCE · Maya worldsAstarte from El Carambolo · 8th century BCE · PhoeniciansAstarte from El Carambolo · 8th century BCE · IberiansLamassu of Khorsabad · Reign of Sargon II · 721–705 BCE · SumerThe Lanzón · c. 900–500 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesOffering 4 · c. 800–600 BCE · Maya worldsKushite king · c. 721–664 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushThe so-called ‘Priest of Cádiz’ · 7th century BCE · PhoeniciansThe so-called ‘Priest of Cádiz’ · 7th century BCE · IberiansHeads on the wall · c. 800–300 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesShabti of Psamtek · 570–526 BCE · Ancient EgyptTwo voices in an urn · 530–520 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe god on the roof · Towards 510–500 BCE · Etruscans and RomeGlazed brick guards · 522–486 BCE · Achaemenid PersiaTwenty-three delegations · 6th–5th centuries BCE, mainly under Darius and Xerxes · Achaemenid PersiaBanquet under leopards · Around 480–470 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe statue was the urn · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansA battle on a comb · Early 4th century BCE · Scythians and SakaThe Kul-Oba vase · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsThe Solokha gold comb · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsFaces of the Steppe · Second half of the 4th century BCE · Scythians and SakaLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · PhoeniciansPunic head pendant · Mid 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Phoenicians — You are viewingLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · IberiansThe Raimondi Stele · c. 400–200 BCE according to MNAAHP · Pre-Inca culturesChão de Lamas pectoral · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · concealed in the early 1st century BCE · IberiansVas dels Guerrers · 3rd–early 2nd century BCE · IberiansWarriors' Vase · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · IberiansThe dismantled cauldron · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Celtic worldsThe walls of San Bartolo · c. 100 BCE · Maya worldsGladiators Cup of Chavagnes · 25–75 CE · Etruscans and RomeThracian Gladiator from Cádiz · 67–100 CE · Etruscans and RomeTorreáguila fountain spout · 101–125 CE · Etruscans and RomeArticulated doll from Tarragona · Late 3rd–4th century CE · Etruscans and RomeSeven heads · c. 500–700 CE · Bantu-speaking worldsSeated figure · 13th century, date attributed by the museum · Mande WorldsKongo crucifix · 16th–17th centuries · Bantu-speaking worldsKuba ndop · ca. 1760 · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Before Persia · Central core c. seventeenth century BCE; Neo-Elamite additions between the ninth and sixth centuries BCE · Achaemenid PersiaBhimbetka · Mesolithic–historical and medieval period · PrehistoryEland Cave · Regional tradition of ≈4,000 years · up to historical period · PrehistoryFour offerers · Iberian period · individual dating according to catalogue · IberiansGame Pass Shelter · Regional rock art chronology · panel not dated in isolation · San historiesLararium of Vilauba · Roman period · Etruscans and RomeLeang Karampuang · Minimum 51,200 years · dating published in 2024 · PrehistoryQuinkan Country · Regional art up to ≈27,000 BP · modern continuity · PrehistorySierra de San Francisco · Broad tradition with direct dates ≈5290–295 BP · PrehistoryTassili n’Ajjer · Corpus ≈6000 BCE–first centuries CE · PrehistoryThe Thracian Horseman · Roman era · diffusion especially in the 2nd–3rd centuries CE · ThraciansA closer look About 1 min to read · 1 section. Further reading and sources · free access. Editorial review recorded: September 5, 2026 .
A face built from drops and threads The small head of the Met retains traces of its manufacture around a rod: a hole pierces the piece and the reverse shows a vertical groove marked with a tool. On a turquoise glass body, the artisan added yellow, white and cobalt blue. The eyes were formed by superimposing colours; the ears bear white earrings and the hair shows two rows of blue curls. The beard protrudes beneath the lips. Its tiny upper ring, today damaged, completed an object intended for suspension, while the smooth back concentrated all attention on the face.
Location and territory Physical world map with routes of human evolution Present-day world coastline from Natural Earth in an equirectangular projection. The overlaid markers let you explore each milestone. Map base: Natural Earth 1:110m · public domain · present-day reference coastline REGIONAL AREA
Levantine cities; the routes and colonies do not equate to a state frontier Levantine cities; the routes and colonies do not equate to a state frontier. The footprint indicates the orientative centre of the area, not a frontier nor an exact point. Where it is held Item or group in the record · Documented collection
Inventory 17.194.735.
The holding institution is documented; public display may change. Check its official record before visiting.
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