Where Do Your Fashion Bead Earrings Come From?

When I think of beads I think of Africa - SouthIn all African societies, adornment, mostly with
Africa to be exact. There is nothing the Zulu can'tbeads, communicate cultural values. These values
make with beads. They sit in Durban, next to theare portrayed as a type of symbolic language
sea on the sidewalk, and the work their miraclesthat shows rank, religion, politics and artistic
with beads: Long beads, thin beads, round beads,outlook on life. In India, the history of jewelry
small beads, and large beads - Beads of everygoes back over 5000 years to the prehistoric
shape or size. Some beads go into the making ofpast. In different regions of India there are styles
placemats, table mats, doormats or pot covers.that are unique to each region. Some work mainly
Most beads, though, go into the making ofin silver, some use the delicate art of enameling,
Jewelry, and most go into the making of beadthe temple jewelry concentrate on the setting of
earrings. The Western world also has a historysemi-precious or precious stones in gold and they
with beads. Neanderthal man is the earliest weare now world famous. The wide variety of silver
find in bead history. These were discovered inbeads found all over India are also well known. In
France and dated back as far as 38 000 BCE.India jewelry is made for practically every part of
They were pendants and earrings made fromthe body in a great variety of ornaments. This
grooved teeth and bones. Other findings includeensured that the jewelers and craftspeople of
prayer beads dated back to the Middle AgesIndia became very skillful in designing and making
which are still in use in the Roman Catholic ChurchJewelry. Indian jewelry consist of nose rings,
today. Also, the "eye bead" was used to meetearrings, bracelets, tiaras, rings, anklets, amulets
the age-old need for "protection against evil" -and necklaces, in any metal and styles. In some
Which is where the saying "evil eye" comes from.regions designs are inspired by nature. In other
The "eye beads" served as protective amulets asregions, gold is used to craft long funnel shaped
it looks like there are eyes on the beads that canbeads which are used with shells, animal claws and
see in every direction. They encourage those whoteeth and precious and semi-precious stones.
look at them to look away from the person whoJewelry is crafted not only for humans but also
is wearing it and keep him/her safe. Infor the Gods, which is why Indian jewelry is so
archaeological findings, beads are one of the mostexcellent. In the Western world we take the Bead
common items found in ancient graves, showingfor granted, but when we truly think of their use
that beads have always been popular. In thethey become part of a story in our history that
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Venetian andreflects the past and present, and also our future.
Bohemian factories traded glass in Africa throughToday you find beads wherever you go. In
middle men. Here they were worked by AfricansAfrica, you find them in every marketplace. In
into jewelry and sold again, being exported backNew Zealand, there is an online wholesale bead
to the Western World. Europeans exchanged glassshop called "Bead Gallery." You only need to do an
beads for almost anything, from beaver pelts inonline search to find beads in your area. Now that
North America, to spices in Indonesia, and thenyou know the history of the bead, wear your
for gold, ivory and slaves in Africa. In Africa,fashion bead earrings knowing they come from a
beads are an important part of a communication.rich history.