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Gods of glass? The wide, staring eyes on these 2-inch tall glass figurines, discovered in the ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, have led to their identification as protective amulets, eternally watching for evil spirits. The male faces with thick, wavy beards may represent the patriarch of the Phoenician pantheon, Baal Hammon; whereas the figure with a shorter beard may be Melqart (a deity associated with the king) or Eshmoun (the god of healing).

A loop on the top of the heads (visible on the upper two examples) was used to string the amulets on a necklace. The discovery of such amulets in Phoenician tombs suggests that their protective function was thought to continue in the afterlife.