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You are here : Hand Made African Beads > Glass, Powder & Mosaic
Glass, Powder & Mosaic
Glass Beads originally came to Africa from Europe, glass was not known and so was used to trade by the Europeans for cotton, sugar, tobacco. Beads were put into categories according to their uses, each tribe had it's preferences and sometimes certain beads were traded for specific things, like ivory, gold, slaves. Hence the common name of Trade Beads, These are found all over Africa, and now some African countries replicate these beads. |
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Powder Glass beads from Ghana & Nigeria Re-cycled glass is pulverized into fine powder, then using a mould the beadmaker layers different coloured glass into the mould creating various designs. They have a soft granular feel to them and opaque surface. Gashi, are powdered glass beads from Ghana, pressed into moulds then fired. Gashi means fired. Bicone beads are highly prized and in Ghana they are reserved for kings or chiefs. In the early days these beads were most often traded for gold.
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red & white raised design | 
blue & white | 
brown stripes |
yellow & red | 
yellow stripes & dots |
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black & white | 
white & yellow dots | 
green with red & white |
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Millefiori 'thousand flower' beads These beads originated in Venice, hence their general name of Venetian Glass Beads. In these Millefiori, there are an endless variety of designs & colours. They are the most common beads found in West Africa, they are made by a glass cane or tube fused from different layers of coloured glass which resembles tiny flowers in cross-section. Sections of this Cane are melted on to the surface of the bead.
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yellow | 
blue & white | 
green powder glass |
blue with red & green stripes |
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Gashi, green with stripes | 
Bicone, yellow & white | 
light blue & yellow |
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Sand Cast Glass Bead These beads are made from recycled glass which have a base colour and then a design is hand painted on the outside. Found mainly in West Africa.
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black & yellow | 
yellow & blue |
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stripes | 
millefiore multi colours | 
multi colour stripes |
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