Long fabulous strand of 95 excellent condition ancient glass eye beads, a really nice group of beads.
Eye beads have circular decorations that look like an eye, and were produced using lamp work, inset or mosaic techniques. Eye beads have been very much valued for centuries, actually they still are, among not only Islamic people but also African people as they were regarded as strong amulets to avert the evil eye and for their alleged prophylactic and magical properties.
These beads were usually discovered in the caravan towns of Timbuktu, Mopti, Djenne and Gao. Djenne, Mali (Africa) - or rather the ancient town of Djenno (250 BC - 900 AD approx.) is 3+ km.s from "modern" Djenne and is considered to be one of the best bead archaeological sites in the world.
Djenne and Timbuktu (500 km to the north) were connected by a very active Trans-Saharan trade route between the 15th - 17th centuries and a variety of trade items passed through these two cities.
On this strand there are 2 broken and 1-2 chipped and 2 that don’t have eyes.
Bead sizes measure from 10-17.2mm diameter.
7.5 ounces/214 gr
38 inches of beads/47 cm.
These beads were manufactured in fairly large quantities over a long period of time in the Middle East. While most are from the early Islamic Period, as early as 900-1200 CE, they also range from 400-800 years old
Although Mali artifacts are strictly prohibited from leaving the country, the beads don't fall under this restriction due to their origins.
Ancient Glass Item 205
