The glass beads you show are all recent versions of beads, made in Java. They are not authentic to the region, but have been based upon published beads from elsewhere. There is no history of head pendants in Java. In point of fact, I inadvertently instigated this in 2008, when I circulated copies of my 2007 paper on fake glass beads, to local Javanese beadmakers and sellers.
When I returned to Java in 2010, I found many specimens of head pendants that were clearly based on the photos I provided two years earlier. (However, some of these were "converted" to become "Buddhas.")
Please read my expositions about my 2008 fieldwork, that are posted here.
Part I:
http://beadcollector.net/cgi-bin/anyboard.cgi?fvp=/openforum/&cmd=iYz&aK=64490&iZz=64490&gV=0&kQz=&aO=1&iWz=0
Part II:
http://beadcollector.net/cgi-bin/anyboard.cgi?fvp=/openforum/&cmd=iYz&aK=64610&iZz=64610&gV=0&kQz=&aO=1&iWz=0
If there were any Phoenician-style head pendants in 2008, I would have bought them.
JDA.
Jamie, Thanks for debunking these. Snookered again! I'll stick to coins from this region. There are plenty of modern fakes and creative fantasies of coins and metal charms from Indonesia, but at least I have some hopes of recognizing those. An interesting story, at least, of how a bead researcher inspired new products in an Asian market.
I happened to be going through a lot of old photos in my Archive, and from prior to my trip to Bali/Java in 2010, I did find one photo of head beads from 2008, that are loosely based on Phoenician-style constructions.
Just to be candid.
JDA.
