For most of human history pearls were the ultimate precious beads of natural origin because of their rarity the modern pearl-culturing process has made them far more common. The natural organics include bone, coral, horn, ivory, seeds (such as tagua nuts), animal shell, and wood. However, some of these materials now routinely undergo some extra processing beyond mere shaping and drilling such as color enhancement via dyes or irradiation. In modern manufacturing, the most common bead materials are wood, plastic, glass, metal, and stone.īeads are still made from many naturally occurring materials, both organic (i.e., of animal- or plant-based origin) and inorganic (purely mineral origin). As humans became capable of obtaining and working with more difficult materials, those materials were added to the range of available substances. The earliest beads were made of a variety of natural materials which, after they were gathered, could be readily drilled and shaped. In some cases, such as millefiori and cloisonné beads, multiple categories may overlap in an interdependent fashion.īeads can be made of many different materials. fabric, clay).īeads can be divided into several types of overlapping categories based on different criteria such as the materials from which they are made, the process used in their manufacturing, the place or period of origin, the patterns on their surface, or their general shape. Beads can be woven together with specialized thread, strung onto thread or soft, flexible wire, or adhered to a surface (e.g. Beadwork is the art or craft of making things with beads. Beads range in size from under 1 millimetre (0.039 in) to over 1 centimetre (0.39 in) in diameter.īeads represent some of the earliest forms of jewellery, with a pair of beads made from Nassarius sea snail shells dating to approximately 100,000 years ago thought to be the earliest known example. JSTOR ( October 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī selection of glass beads Merovingian bead Trade beads, 18th century Trade beads, 18th centuryĪ bead is a small, decorative object that is formed in a variety of shapes and sizes of a material such as stone, bone, shell, glass, plastic, wood, or pearl and with a small hole for threading or stringing. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
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