A rare Phoenician Carved Tridacna Shell with Bird's Head, ca. 630 - 580 BCE

This shell, carved from Tridacna squamosa, a type of giant saltwater clam that flourished in the warm waters of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, was used to carve a distinctive type of cosmetic container for a short period between the late seventh and the early sixth century BCE  The elongated form has a deeply fluted exterior and a concave interior, the umbo (the protrusion at the top of the shell) is simply but powerfully carved in the form of a bird's head, featuring large drilled eyes on either side of a triangular beak.  Below the head, the natural fluted folds of the shell give the impression of the bird's widespread wings.  The sides suggest further carving was done, perhaps feet or wing feathers but it is very worn and now hard to make out.  The exterior has been smoothed and polished to bring out the natural beauty of the shell, thus resulting in a luxury item of impressive power and beauty. Background: Produced in workshops along the Syrio-Phoenician coast, these cosmetic sh