Skip to main content
Items Similar to An Etruscan Amber Head Pendant. Etruria, circa 5th century B.C.
Ancient Susanian Carved Agate Head Intaglio Bead
Ancient Susanian Carved Agate Head Intaglio Bead
Ancient Roman Bronze Head Of A Youth Pendant 2nd century AD 14 Karat Gold
Ancient Roman Bronze Head Of A Youth Pendant 2nd century AD 14 Karat Gold
Etruscan Sculpture Head, 4th Century B.C., Italy
Etruscan Sculpture Head, 4th Century B.C., Italy
Ancient Roman Bronze Head of A Ram Amulet Pendant 2nd Century AD 14 Karat Gold
Ancient Roman Bronze Head of A Ram Amulet Pendant 2nd Century AD 14 Karat Gold
Miniature Bronze Head Sculpture from Laos or Cambogia
Miniature Bronze Head Sculpture from Laos or Cambogia
Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pendant
Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pendant
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

An Etruscan Amber Head Pendant. Etruria, circa 5th century B.C.

$6,526.41
£4,800
€5,603.52
CA$9,036.28
A$9,820.89
CHF 5,263.10
MX$119,243
NOK 66,074.99
SEK 61,274.52
DKK 41,851.40

About the Item

An Etruscan Amber Head Pendant. Etruria, circa 5th century B.C. Measurements 5.1 × 3.6 × 2.4 cm. 9cm high on its bronze display stand. Provenance Anonymous sale; Sotheby’s London, Antiquities, 14–15 December 1981, lot 206. The property of an American private collector, acquired at the above sale. Carved from translucent red-brown amber with a warm, granular patina and areas of stable age-related degradation, this pendant takes the form of a profile head with stylised Archaic features. The sculptor emphasised the large almond eye beneath a defined brow ridge, a softly smiling mouth, and carefully delineated hair arranged in striated bands sweeping back from the face. A drilled perforation at the crown indicates its original function as a suspended ornament, while the smoothing around the opening suggests active wear in antiquity. Amber was a prestigious imported material in Etruria, highly prized for its rarity, colour, and perceived apotropaic power. From the late 6th century B.C. onwards, figured amber pendants appear in elite tombs, particularly those of women, reflecting both personal identity and a protective role within funerary belief systems. The prominent, wide-open eye here may have served as a talismanic motif, thought to ward off malign forces and ensure the wearer’s vigilance and wellbeing in life and beyond the grave. This piece reflects the distinctive aesthetic of Etruscan amber carving, in which Mediterranean influences are reinterpreted with a locally expressive sculptural style. Condition Age-related nibbles and craquelure are present throughout the material, consistent with the natural oxidative degradation of ancient amber. There is a chip to the centre of the foremost side of the head, visible in the first image. Some stabilised crumbling surrounds the suspension perforation on the reverse. The overall structure remains stable and well-preserved. Comparisons For related profile head pendants in amber, see the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, inv. nos. 83.AO.202.1 and 77.AO.81.30, both published in F. Causey (ed.), Ancient Carved Ambers in the J. Paul Getty Museum (2012/2019). See also Christie’s, London, Antiquities, 14 April 2011, lot 129, for a stylistically comparable example.
  • Period:
    15th Century and Earlier
  • Date of Manufacture:
    5th century BC
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU4435227716132

More From This Seller

View All
Bronze Skull Finial from the Base of a Crucifix. French or German, 17th century.
Located in London, GB
Bronze Skull Finial from the Base of a Crucifix. French or German, 17th century. Measurements 3.3 × 3.1 × 2.8 cm Cast in the form of a human skull, this small bronze would origina...
Category

Antique 17th Century Models and Miniatures

Bronze Skull Finial from the Base of a Crucifix. French or German, 17th century.

Bronze Skull Finial from the Base of a Crucifix. French or German, 17th century.

$1,733
Free Shipping
Anthropomorphic Lead Spout in the Form of a Dog. England, 16th century.
Located in London, GB
Anthropomorphic Lead Spout in the Form of a Dog. England, Tudor period, 16th century. Measurements: 9.3 × 6.8 × 3.6 cm (excluding stand); 11 × 8.2 × 7 cm (including stand). Thi...
Category

Antique 16th Century Figurines and Sculptures

Anthropomorphic Lead Spout in the Form of a Dog. England, 16th century.

Anthropomorphic Lead Spout in the Form of a Dog. England, 16th century.

$1,971
Free Shipping
Gilt-Bronze Group Depicting an Act of Almsgiving. England, early 12th century
Located in London, GB
Gilt-Bronze Group Possibly Depicting an Act of Almsgiving England, early 12th century Measurements 4.2 × 2.8 × 1.7 cm Material Fire-gilt bronze This rare Romanesque figural g...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurines and Sculptures

Gilt-Bronze Group Depicting an Act of Almsgiving. England, early 12th century

Gilt-Bronze Group Depicting an Act of Almsgiving. England, early 12th century

$17,335
Free Shipping
Ancient Gold Ring Set with a Sardonyx Cameo of a Woman. Roman, 3rd century AD.
Located in London, GB
Ancient Gold Ring Set with a Sardonyx Cameo of a Woman. Roman, 3rd century AD. Measurements • Ring size: F 1/2 UK / 3 US / 44 EU • Bezel: 1.5 x 1.1cm • Weight: 5.96 grams A ...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Signet Rings

Ancient Gold Ring Set with a Sardonyx Cameo of a Woman. Roman, 3rd century AD.

Ancient Gold Ring Set with a Sardonyx Cameo of a Woman. Roman, 3rd century AD.

$8,056
Free Shipping
Marble Statuette of Cybele Enthroned, Roman Empire, circa 3rd Century A.D.
Located in London, GB
Roman Marble Statuette of Cybele Enthroned Roman Empire, circa 3rd Century A.D. Measurements: 21.5 × 14 × 9 cm. A finely carved marble statuette depicting the goddess Cybele, e...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Figurines and Sculptures

Marble Statuette of Cybele Enthroned, Roman Empire, circa 3rd Century A.D.

Marble Statuette of Cybele Enthroned, Roman Empire, circa 3rd Century A.D.

$8,667
Free Shipping
Silver Skull Pendant. Probably Italian, 18th–19th century.
Located in London, GB
Silver Skull Pendant Probably Italian, 18th–19th century Measurements 5.2 × 4 cm Weight 50 grams Cast in solid silver, this pendant takes the form of a human skull, modelled ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Pendant Necklaces

Silver Skull Pendant. Probably Italian, 18th–19th century.

Silver Skull Pendant. Probably Italian, 18th–19th century.

$2,549
Free Shipping

You May Also Like

Ancient Susanian Carved Agate Head Intaglio Bead
Located in New York, NY
An ancient Sasanian hand carved red agate intaglio bead. The bead depicts a head with a high hairstyle. Ancient Sasanian Jewelry Wares and Accessories and Collectibles. Dimensions: ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Loose Gemstones

Materials

Agate, Sterling Silver

Ancient Susanian Carved Agate Head Intaglio Bead

Ancient Susanian Carved Agate Head Intaglio Bead

$450
Free Shipping
Ancient Roman Bronze Head Of A Youth Pendant 2nd century AD 14 Karat Gold
Located in New York, NY
Unveil the elegance of antiquity with this Ancient Roman Bronze Head of a youth pendant necklace in 14 Karat Gold. The magnificent ancient Roman head...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze

Ancient Roman Bronze Head Of A Youth Pendant 2nd century AD 14 Karat Gold

Ancient Roman Bronze Head Of A Youth Pendant 2nd century AD 14 Karat Gold

$2,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Free Shipping
Etruscan Sculpture Head, 4th Century B.C., Italy
Located in Girona, Spain
DESCRIPTION: Etruscan sculpture head made with terracotta, the art represents a young man from the 4th century. It's a very decorative piece and the stat...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Greek Busts

Materials

Terracotta

Etruscan Sculpture Head, 4th Century B.C., Italy

Etruscan Sculpture Head, 4th Century B.C., Italy

$12,000
Ancient Roman Bronze Head of A Ram Amulet Pendant 2nd Century AD 14 Karat Gold
Located in New York, NY
Unveil the elegance of antiquity with this Ancient Roman Bronze Head of a Ram Amulet Pendant Necklace in 14 Karat Gold. The imagery of this ancient Roman Bronze pendant is extremely ...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier European Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Bronze, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold

Ancient Roman Bronze Head of A Ram Amulet Pendant 2nd Century AD 14 Karat Gold

Ancient Roman Bronze Head of A Ram Amulet Pendant 2nd Century AD 14 Karat Gold

$2,850
Free Shipping
Miniature Bronze Head Sculpture from Laos or Cambogia
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Antique 1700 miniature bronze head from Laos, mounted on a simple plexi base. Measures: It's high 8 cm., on base it's 16 cm. ref. O/4641.  
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Cambodian Other Antiquities

Materials

Bronze

Miniature Bronze Head Sculpture from Laos or Cambogia

Miniature Bronze Head Sculpture from Laos or Cambogia

$1,069
Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pendant
Located in Astoria, NY
Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pottery Pendant, with traces of green glaze. 2" H x 2" W x 1" D. Provenance: From a New York City Collection.
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Central American Pre-Columbian Animal S...

Materials

Pottery

Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pendant

Pre-Columbian Jaguar Head Pendant

$650 Sale Price
22% Off