The original Head beads in the early form are believed to have been manufactured mainly in and along the Phoenician coastline and in Carthage. Small workshops seems to be the consensus rather than large manufacturing sites, but there is no clear evidence of either that I know of. Other sites may have included Cyprus, Egypt and Syria. The large elaborate types such as in the Christie's catalog are attributed mainly to Carthaginian sites.

The later head pendant types such as the yellow and brown faces are more likely from Rhodes and Egypt.

The mosaic face beads are thought to have come mainly from Egypt (some say Alexandria), but may also come from Syria and even European sites during the Roman empire.

Interestingly, Lankton says some very fine examples of tabular face beads were found in Ponpeii and Herculaneum, from the the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Large numbers of face beads have also been found along the coast of the Black Sea.

The replica beads could come from anywhere, but according to Bassem Elias, who is from Lebanon, there appears to be a rather healthy business there in repilac beads and artifacts of very good quality. Unfortunately many are of the kind not easily recognized by the average collector.

Jan Skipper
mosquitobay