JB09-JB10 Java Jatim Beads

Beads approx 17-20mm diameter. Large 3-4mm hole. These mosaic style glass beads are handmade by artisans in the area around Jember, in the eastern part of Java, Indonesia. Variation and imperfections are to be expected with these beads! None would be considered “perfect”. Due to the nature of the manufacturing process of these beads – small bits of glass cane applied to form a mosaic pattern over a core – they can be prone to breakage if struck or dropped. $3.50 each 10+ pcs/$3.00 each 50+ pcs/$2.50 each These beads are of a type commonly referred to in the trade as “Jatim”. The beads have been made since ancient times and are treasured throughout the region, passed down for multiple generations as heirlooms and found in multiple archaeological contexts from Indonesia to Korea to China. Other, similar types of mosaic beads are found in many parts ancient Europe, the Middle East, and Asia dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. At the moment it is difficult to find an easy consensus on the exact origin of ancient Jatim beads. Some have proposed Eastern Java as the origin for the manufacture of Jatim beads dating back as far as the 5th/early 6th C. (Lankton, among others) Others have theorized possible Middle Eastern origins. There is also the possibility that some of the glass production took place elsewhere (India? the Middle East?) but was imported, either as a raw material for, or recycled by, beadmakers in Java. That feels like a poor summary but the best I can do with the derth of reliable information available. 🙂 I’d be happy to point to further reading and resources for anyone interested! NOTE: Jatim are one of the most common beads you will see faked in the antiquities market, with prices in the hundreds to multiple thousands of dollars. Places like Etsy, Ebay and auction sites are filled with “ancient” Jatim beads the sellers swear are “ancient” because “they come from a reliable source, someone who knows a guy who knows a guy who collected them 50 years ago”. Besides, they just really “look old”. And hey, they do! But the “aged”/”ancient”/”buried” appearance of these beads is EASILY faked. Many methods exist to (re)produce these finishes. This is in itself an art form. It should be noted that these techniques are applied to some of the new beads we stock – and at 1/1000 of the cost of the “ancient” ones!