African Trade Beads

I have a fondness for relics of the bead world. I have been collecting since I was 9 and have enjoyed the people as much as the beads. I used to be a buyer for a fabulous bead store and meeting with the African Traders was always one of my favorite interactions.

African Trade Beads are not only beads made in Africa, in fact few of the beads in the trade are made in Africa. The beads get their name because it is the system they were traded through. Most of the beads came from Europe. For instance the green colored striped melon beads or melon chevrons are from Italy, the bright orange/red beads are Dutch, and the large ceramic turquoise beads are Hebrew beads from Israel.

I feel it is important to mention the use of the beads. Beads were used like money. They were traded for all sorts of goods, (pelts, food, clothing), but they were also used to purchase slaves, I feel this is a very important acknowledgement. While the true trade beads carry much beauty and mysticism they also carry a great deal of history and truth. Certain beads carry with them a right or an acknowledgement of class.

This is just the portal into the world of Trade Beads... more to come.
Ciao,
KaayKay