151 - A FINE ROMAN ‘HELMETED HEAD’ GLASS PLAQUE, 1ST-2ND CENTURY

A FINE ROMAN ‘HELMETED HEAD’ GLASS PLAQUE, 1ST-2ND CENTURY North Africa. Finely molded from pale transparent glass, of oval form and worked in relief with the head of a bearded warrior, possibly Mars, the god of war, wearing a crested helmet. The face is rendered with large eyes beneath prominent brows, a straight nose, and a short beard, the helmet detailed with incised bands and ornament. Provenance: Ex-collection M. B., Hesse, since before 1970, and thence by descent. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear and manufacturing irregularities, small chips and nibbling along the edges, suffused with bubbles, and scattered encrustations. Weight: 2.6 g Dimensions: Height 2.5 cm Literature comparison: Compare a related Punic glass double-headed pendant, late 4 th-3 rd century BC, cast in a two-part mold, 2.2 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession number 17.194.578.