Special Strands of Multicolor Mixed Size Indo-Pacific - Nila Beads - Rita Okrent Collection (AT0146s)

These are a few specially brightly hued color combinations, mixed sizes and shapes.. Strands in photos are available, select your preferred strand(s). Why we love these strands Each one is a unique grab bag of colors, sizes and shapes. Great for use as spacers and accents in all sorts of jewelry designs. They wear beautifully over time as they absorb the skin's natural oils. Provenance: Found along the Niger River region of Mali, West Africa, where large quantities of these beads have been recovered from riverbank sites and buried clay pots. Age: Circa 1200-1600 A.D. Dimensions: Strand length 22-24 inches (56-61 cm). Individual beads range 3mm-7mm (0.12-0.28 in), with occasional larger outlier beads. Condition: Wear commensurate with age, including some chips, cracks, and broken beads. Colors include white, blue, red, green, yellow, and off white. Bead researcher Robert K. Liu notes in Ornament Magazine that these beads originated in the Middle East between roughly the seventh and twelfth centuries, and spread with the expansion of Islam into North Africa and beyond. They flowed into Sub-Saharan Africa, where they were valued for centuries in the ancient Malian kingdoms as a symbol of status. Some useful reference articles: https://theconversation.com/how-we-found-the-earliest-glass-production-south-of-the-sahara-and-what-it-means-142059 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gao https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songhai_Empire African Item 0146s