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	Powder Glass Beads from Ghana by Wanda Haber-Kucharsky Beads may be one of your passions as they are mine, they may be in the jewelry that you wear, in special items you possess or used in decorating something. You join many others who enjoy beads. Beads are some of the most stunningly attractive and varied items of jewelry and thus have been the most popular components of personal adornment. Beads have been used throughout the world in countless ways: as talismans in prehistoric and contemporary societies; as status symbols in the ancient world and in present day Africa; as religious artifacts in the Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic faiths; and as a standard medium of barter throughout the world. Each bead is therefore a capsule of cultural information, containing a fascinating tale of the origins of its materials, its manufacture, its multifold uses, perhaps its travels, and certainly its potent symbolism. Most of the beads that I use in producing the unique jewelry that we sell at AbeadC Designs are from Ghana and are commonly referred to as Powder-glass Beads. The name reflects the method used in producing them. I thought some of you may be interested in a very brief and by no means complete history of the beads from Ghana. The Bead Factory An enormous range of beads and raw materials for beads have been available to Africans for centuries and therefore have an ancient history in Africa. They have been used as modes of artistic expression, as status symbols, and for religious purposes. The date for the advent of Powder-glass bead making techniques in Africa is not certain, although it is thought that they began appearing in the sixteenth century. Since then, glass bead making in sub-Saharan Africa has been concentrated in today's Niger, Nigeria and Ghana. This tradition remains intact, and today the Bida of Nigeria and the Krobo of Ghana are two of the most important African glass manufacturers. The pictures of the bead-making process are taken in one of the villages in the Krobo region. Beads from imported glass scrap continue to be made using two basic techniques: traditional winding and drawing, and using ground powder glass. Powder-glass bead making is almost unique to Africa, where it has become a sophisticated art form. At Odumase-Krobo, Ghana Some of the Ghanaian beads came from elsewhere originally and became incorporated with the Powder-glass beads that the Africans made. Those beads have been referred to as African Trading Beads because they were originally brought over by Europeans and others, to various parts of Africa, including Ghana, and used in trading for goods or services. Peoples on the West African coast began to trade with Europe in the late fifteenth century. The Portuguese, Dutch, English, French, Belgians and Germans brought millions of Venetian, Dutch and Bohemian glass beads to Africa. Raw materials for the manufacture of the beads are broken glass of different colors. They are bought at the market in bags; clay for the moulds; and wood for firing the ovens. I also include Ghanaian beads made from various metals. Metal beads have also been made for centuries. The ones I use are newer but still made today in the same way. The history of the older and original metal beads in Africa is more obscure. It is known that most African societies have tended to make the beads using indigenous materials, including locally available metals. Africans have used iron for tools and weapons since at least 300 B.C., but for adornment much later. This process uses a lost-wax casting method and has been known in West Africa since the ninth century. It is thought to have been introduced from the north via trans-Saharan traders. The brown clay moulds have been freshly made. Before firing, the moulds are coated with Kaolin to harden them and extend their lifetime. As my friend, Diana who is from Ghana, pointed out bead making has been a flourishing industry in West Africa since the sixteenth century and beads are made today in much the same way as they were then by artisans in small villages who learned the technique from their ancestors. Whole villages are involved in the production of the beads fashioning the forms and furnaces used for making the beads out of mud, sticks and stones; grinding the glass (recycled from bottles, jars and broken beads) to a fine powder; washing and stringing the finished beads onto raffia strips for the journey to the market. The crushed glass is poured into the moulds. The moulds are placed in the oven. They generally stay in the oven for about 45 minutes. After the moulds are removed from the oven The craftsman uses a special metal pin to turn the liquid glass around to give it the ball-shape. The same pin is used to make the hole through the bead before the glass is set. After cooling and washing, the finished product is strung. Ready for the market! References: 1. Dubin, Lois Sherr. 1987. The history of beads, from 30,000B.C. to the present. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers 2. Knol, Diana. Toronto, Canada Please see ABeadC Designs to view some of Wanda's unusual work.
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Welcome to Elegant Notions. We specialize in the sales of beads and jewelry items. We have the best prices anywhere. Most of our items sell for less than wholesale and we offer them at retail quantities. Among our bead offerings we have African Beads, Bone Beads, Copper Beads, Brass Beads, Silver Beads, Bali Silver, Crystal Beads, Swarovski Beads, Swarovski Crystal, Fiber Optic Beads, Cat’s Eye Beads, Glass Beads, Porcelain Beads, Semiprecious Beads, Semi-precious Beads, Shell Beads, Coral Beads, Mother of Pearl Beads, Bead Assortments, Assorted Beads, Atlas Beads, Aztec Beads, Colored Core Beads, Crackle Glass Beads, Cross Beads, Czech Beads, Czech Glass Beads, Czech Crystal Beads, Iris Glass Beads, Mirror Finished Beads, Kanji Beads, Lamp Work Beads, Lampwork Beads, Marbled Beads, Marbled Glass Beads, Rainbow Beads, Satin Beads, Tube Beads, Two Colored Beads, Turquoise Beads, African Turquoise Beads, Agate Beads, Amethyst, Agate Beads, Turquoise Beads, Amethyst Beads, Aventurine, Aventurine Beads, Carnelian, Carnelian Beads, Chinese Turquoise, Chinese Turquoise Beads, Citrine, Citrine Beads, Fluorite, Fluorite Beads, Garnet. Garnet Beads, Goldstone, Gold Stone, Goldstone Beads, Gold Stone Beads, Howlite, Howlite Beads, Jasper, Jasper Beads, Labradorite, Labradorite Beads, Lapis Lazuli, Lapis Lazuli Beads, Malachite, Malachite Beads, Moonstone, Moonstone Beads, Obsidian, Obsidian Beads, Peridot, Peridot Beads, Quartz, Quartz Beads, Rhyolite, Rhyolite Beads, Tigereye, Tiger Eye, Tigereye Beads, Tiger Eye Beads, Topaz, Topaz Beads, Tourmaline, Tourmaline Beads, Yellow Turquoise, Yellow Turquoise Beads.

We also sell Bells, Brass Bells, Brass Windchimes, Crystals, Dichroic Glass, Dichroic Glass Bracelets, Dichroic Glass Cabochons, Dichroic Glass Pendants, Dichroic Glass Necklaces, Dichroic Glass Pins, Other Necklaces, Semiprecious Necklaces, Semiprecious Jewelry Sets, Semiprecious Pendants, Watches, Silver & Turquoise Pendants, Other Bracelets, Earrings, Swarovski Crystal Bracelets.

We are the best source for cheap beads at wholesale prices. We have the lowest prices on handmade jewelry and jewelry findings.

We also have a new line of beaded crafts and beaded gifts. We have beaded fan pulls, beaded light pulls, beaded lamp pulls, beaded windchimes, beaded wind chimes, beaded suncatchers, beaded sun catchers, beaded witches balls, beaded hummingbird feeders, beaded blown glass, beaded friendship balls, beaded bells, beaded planters, beaded bird feeders, beaded candle holders, beaded cloisonné figurines, beaded gazing balls, beaded crackle balls, beaded Glass Eye Studio glassware, beaded angels, beaded stained glass, beaded crystals and beaded ceramic hearts.