A free gift of beads with your order!
A free gift of beads with your order!
Discounted Shipping on ALL Orders
Discounted Shipping on ALL Orders
Mixed strands of ancient medium sized glass nila beads from Mali in blue, white and green. These larger cousins of smaller Nila beads are referred to locally in Mali as Dardig beads.
Circa 1200-1600 C.E.
The hues of the beads in these strands may deepen and vary when treated very gently with a tiny bit of olive oil (rub a little on your hands and then handle the beads). These beads also could be cleaned with water to bring out more color. The white patina is due to wear, age and burial - some color is gone but some may be hidden underneath. These beads are also wonderful just as they are.
Two strands in this listing. “Medium” is a relative term comparing these to smaller glass Mali nila beads from our shops. A few beads in Strand B are not nila beads, but are old glass beads from the African Trade.
Measurements:
Strand A: 26 inches/66 cm of beads. Bead sizes range from 4-12mm.
Strand B: 26 inches/66 cm of beads. Bead sizes range from 4-9mm.
More about Nila beads:
Nila beads are Islamic-era glass beads which are also referred to as Indo-Pacific or Trade Winds beads, in reference to the ocean streams and winds that, for centuries, were used by the Arab merchant ships bringing them from India to Africa. They often have oxidization patina from burial and age. Large quantities have been found along the river banks of the Niger river in Mali and buried in large quantities in clay pots, used as a form of currency. They are found in the ground in parts of West Africa and Southeast Asia. The name "Nila" comes from the Sanskrit term for indigo.
As research and technology evolves, there is a greater ability to verify glass bead making by local manufacture in West Africa.
Some useful reference articles:
https://theconversation.com/how-we-found-the-earliest-glass-production-south-of-the-sahara-and-what-it-means-142059
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317775780_Ancient_History_of_Technology_in_West_Africa_The_Indigenous_GlassGlass_Bead_Industry_and_the_Society_in_Early_Ile-Ife_Southwest_Nigeria
African Trade Item 0986
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Rita Okrent Collection
1585 Hillsmont Drive
El Cajon, California 92020
USA
