Authentic beads have a story to tell. Check out this page for a basic introduction. By mid 08, I hope to have added some great links regarding individual beads such as the Holy Seed Beads, Gemstones, Pearls, African Recycled Glass beads, Kanji and Chinese Cash.
If you are aware of any worthwhile links about the materials, meaning and history of beads, let me know via email.

BEADLORE: A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY AND MEANING OF BEADS

Beads are more than pretty round things.
Throughout history and the once diverse cultures on earth, beads have and to a lesser extent are still are used as grave offerings, trade items, symbols of wealth, signifiers of gender and age, accessories to rituals and magic, to attract the favour of a Saint or God as well as talismans for protection against natural and supernatural forces.

Beads are highly significant items to anthropolgy, archeology and art. Every bead has a story to tell - even the mass produced, non-bio-degradeable modern plastic bead. Its story not so charming as others, neverthless it speaks of the culture that produced it.
Top of Page

THE OLDEST BEAD

The oldest bead has been dated to 38,000 BC and was found at La Quina, an archaeological dig site in France. From 33,000 yrs ago animal teeth and bones were worn as pendants, and associated with ritualistic behaviour – to protect against natural hazards or link humans with the supernatural and ancestors. The New Zealand
Hei-tiki is an example of the later.

The oldest beads found in Australia are 3 kangaroo bone beads strung on kangaroo sinew, dated around 10,000BC at "Devils Lair" a cave in South Western Australia.

Many pre-historic beads have been unearthed at grave sites around the ancient world. Mesopotamia (near modern Iran) is the first known agricultural culture established around 5000BC. Vast amounts of beautiful beads have been unearthed from the Sumerian Royal Tombs from the city-state of Ur, in Southern Mesopotamia. Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian, Turquoise, Malachite, Gold and Agates being some of the earliest gemstones worked into beads. Amethyst being introduced a little later.
The Egyptians, neighbours of the Sumerians, perfected the broadcollar necklace style with the introduction of spacers to keep multiple layered necklaces hanging properly around 2000BC.
Top of Page

TRADE ROUTES, BEAD AND BEAD MATERIALS

Beads were an important trade item with the early Amber Trade routes linking Northern Europe with the Mediterranean around 3000BC.
Inter-tribal barter, pre-dating western exploitation, was commonplace. So effective were the trade routes, that we find Chinese cash (coins) and Dentalum Shell from the Pacific Ocean turning up in a Yakima (Innuit/Eskimo) Bridal Headress at the Arctic circle.
Red Coral sourced from the Mediterranean is and has been revered by Monks in Tibet for centuries. So much so, that red glass beads simulating it and called "mountain coral" is popular. Red coral, also known as 'ox-blood' coral, sourced from the Mediterranean, is now illegal to harvest due to over-harvesting. "Sea-bamboo" is pink and white coral, dyed red to emmulate red coral. Sea Bamboo is colour fast but the colour can be removed with acetone (nail polish remover).

Sadly largely beginning with Columbus and extending throughout the North West American Fur Trade, beads were part of the bounty used to exploit and disenfranchise many indigenous cultures.
Did you know that blue glass seed beads were not available to native American Indians until brought there from Italy during the Fur trade?

The Naga people of Nagaland, an isolated tribal territory in India and of Mongolian descent, were one of the last traditional cultures to be changed by modern culture during the twentieth century. This partly due to their fierce reputation as head-hunters and partly because of the isolated location in rugged mountainous region bordering South West Burma. Beaded Jewellery was important to the Naga people, as they had no notable painting or sculpture.
Top of Page

SHELL MONEY

Beads have been used as currency, in particular beads made from shell including Wampum and cowrie shells. Wampum beads were made from shell via a secret and complicated process. Used as currency in the North West of America by traditional people, until Europeans copied the bead and supplied vast amounts, making it almost worthless.
Top of Page

OUR MORE MEANINGFUL PAST -
THANK-FULLY, A PLACE FOR BEADS IN EUROPEAN CULTURE

In the modern western world we simply see beads as relatively insignificant items used to accessorise for visual pleasure. We have a barren relationship with beads and jewellery compared to our ancestral past and other cultures.
The association between wearing gemstones for healing and protection from earthly and divine threats, was commonplace throughout Europe, by 11^th century. These were times prior to the scientific and industrial revolultion, when easy access to childhood immunisations, operating theatres and sterilised equipment was unheard of.Imagine you were a pre-rennaisance mother, how best to protect your child?
Answer: By tying a piece of malachite on the babies cot of course! Hematite or Bloodstone, as it is known in Germany and Norway was used to protect loved ones from blood loss during child-birth and on the battle field. Garnet was as a travellers talisman because of its association with "lighting up the night" as a carbuncle (red stone) on Noahs Boat. Italian peasants wore Serpenite to protect from snake bite.

A latin saying: Similia similibus curantur or "like cures like" summarises the traditional meanings associated with many beads and gemstones. 
In earlier times the colour of semi-precious stones was linked to a corresponding part of the body, and worn or even consumed for the purpose of health, healing and protection For example, green stones (like the colour of bile) were considered a treatment for indigestion. Amethyst (purple like wine) has been used to protect against drunkeness and excesses of passion, Garnet to counter nightmares (to ‘light up the night’) and Hematite, associated with Mars, the God of war – the dust and water runs red when processed hence its association with protecting against blood loss.

Before science, ancient Astronomers and shamans from many cultures linked gemstones to wellbeing, birth dates and planetary rulers. Inscriptions would be etched into selected gemstones when the planetary ruler was on the horizon (ascendant) to enhance talismatic properties of the stone.

Around 350AD, the Catholic church forbid the use of amulets and talismans and in 366AD introduced Rosary Beads instead – as a counting device for counting prayers.
Top of Page

AMULETS AND TALISMANS

There are many examples of beads and beaded items used to influence the natural and supernatural worlds.
Consider a Dayak beadwork baby carrier or ‘ba’. From Borneo. Shells, beads and the teeth of animals with protective spirits (bears, crocodiles, pigs) hang from the carrier to make a rattling sound that drives off evil spirits. The decorative seed-bead design identifies the owners social class. For example a styalised open mouthed dragon that also frightens away evil sprirts.

Amulets were very important throughout Egyptian history. Amulets were widely used in personal jewellery. Amulets in the form of human body parts were thought to protect those body parts in the living. Carnelian, Feldspar, Amethyst, faience, Jasper and Ivory from Egypt around 2000BC.

Possibly the most sought after bead for collectors is the dZi bead - a black and white or dark brown etched agate bead, revered by Tibetan and Himalayan people. It isand believed to be a precious jewel of supernatural origin with great power to protect the wearer from disaster.
Top of Page

BEADS FOR RITUAL AND MAGIC

Many religions, including Christianity use beaded items as a prayer counting devices. A rather unique Buddhist mala with 108 prayer beads made from the bones of a lama (holy man), coral and silk has been dated as several hundred years old .

Beaded jewellery and necklaces have been considered accessories to magic and ritual. For example a Zulu Shamans necklace from a South Africa, made from twigs, tortoiseshell, seeds, snake vertebrae, teeth, glass beaded amulets and leather. The men from Elephant Society in Cameroon perform a ritual dance wearing beaded elephant mask, symbolising strength and power.
Top of Page

EYE BEADS

Eye beads are and have been worn as amulets to protect the wearer from the so called ‘evil eye’ and probably originate from Palaeolithic times. Many Eastern, Islamic, African and Indian societies have and often still believe that eye contact with a particular human, god or malevolent force can cause sudden harm to people and their property or it can afflict them with evil emotions, like jealousy and hatred.
In parts of India and Africa cowrie shells is believed to represent the human eye and to be a protective amulet. In Egypt, the eye of God or Horus was considered beneficial.
Top of Page

BEADS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

Specific bead styles, materials and methods are unique to the culture that invented or popularised them. Beads and beaded jewellery had and have cultural and social significance and functions beyond our modern day wearing of jewellery for aesthetic pleasure.
Men wore jewellery too – it is only the last 100 years that we have seen a decline in jewellery wearing amongst men. Lapis Lazuli and Onyx are the most popular gemstones (in our culture) used in mens jewellery.

The beautiful fluted glass chevron bead, otherwise known as a style of "African Trade Bead" was made in Europe in large numbers for trade to Africa. The African people relished the vibrant colours and patterns. Similarly we think of Native American Indians and blue seed beads, actually made in Europe and traded to Native Americans during the fur trade.

The Turkana people of are nomadic pastoralists in East Africa– well known for their Ostrich egg shell beads made in since 7000BC. These beads are used to decorate the "arrac" a triangular goatskin apron worn by women.

A wandering merchant or saddhyu in Nepal, is identifiable by his necklace of rudraksha beads spaced with red or ‘mountain’ coral which symbolize the Hindu God Siva, the deity of Yogis.

Dinka cowherders of southern Sudan wear beaded corsets fitted tightly to their bodies. The colours of the corsets indicate the wearer’s age group: red and white are for ages 15-25, Pink and purple for 25-30, yellow for those past 30.
Top of Page

BEADSTYLES - JIN TAI LAN & LAMP WORK BEADS

Beadstyles, materials and methods are often attributed to specific cultures and times. Cloisonne beads originally called Jin tai lan originated in China 3000 yrs ago. Wire is used to make a pattern on the bead cloisonne is French for closures powdered glass is poured into the closures – each colour is fired separately, the glass melts to fill the space enclosed by wire the bead is finished with pure gold and polished, some are polished smooth, others are left with wire prominent. The Russians (Faberge, the Czars jeweller) and French have copied the method, hence the more popular name for this bead. made the beads also.

The most common type of bead apart form the modern plastic, is glass. Lamp work beads are interesting glass beads, where a blob of molten glass is wound around a rod, heated and shaped. Sometimes molten glass is used to decorate the surface, leaving a raised design, often in other colours. Sometimes molten glass is pulled through the main bead, cleverly leaving swirls, feather-designs and flowers.
The largest supplier of lamp work beads is India, where beads are often made by the farmers while they wait for their crops to grow. Called "lamp" because of the intense heat used from a flame. A characteristic of lamp work glass beads is the associated release agent China clay – a powder inside the beads that helps separate the glass from the metal rod used to support the glass whilst it is being heated.

source: "The History of Beads from 30,000BC to the Present" by Lois Sherr Dubin. Published by Thames and Hudson. FP. 1987.

contact us

Phone: 0408 20 25 35 Post: P.O Box 220 Brooklyn.