Ali, thank you too.
More opinions certainly help.

Had a look at some of the articles. It does not appear to be a very typical fake, with the thin white patina. You also see that on some pieces made in China. I'm guessing I either have a genuine piece or a pretty good fake. I enjoy puzzles like this that make you dive into a new subject.

My instinct from holding it and watching it closely makes me think it is ancient. However, I realize that that does not really mean very much.

This was not a piece that was treasured by the shop owner. It was just part of a pile of mixed stuff and the initial asking price was $50. Could be that he just got a batch of some fakes somewhere that got mixed in. How a genuine ancient piece could be overlooked......does seem odd.

I visited Syria 9 years ago. Got my first small collectible beads there, including some fakes. After nearly 10 years of collecting, maybe I have come 'full circle'. ;-)