The glass industry of the region has been world famous since Phoenician times and glass blowing was invented here. A second-century miniature bottle for perfumed oil found in the excavations was also locally produced and remained unbroken to this day. Late Ottoman glass bottles, similar in size, perhaps still had the same function.

In the Islamic world, centers of glass production existed in many capital cities. Judging from the various glass fragments discovered on site, Beirut was one of the production centers. Glass blowing and decoration with polychrome trailing were techniques used near the Mamluk period shrine. Evidence for glass manufacture in the sixteenth century is rare, a fact which adds to the importance of the Beirut material.

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