FREE and Discounted Shipping on ALL Orders
FREE and Discounted Shipping on ALL Orders
Get a gift of small mixed glass Nila beads with every purchase!
Get a gift of small mixed glass Nila beads with every purchase!
A 24 inch strand of mixed ancient glass nila beads from Mali. The highlight of this strand is the presence of the lovely green glass nila beads mixed in with the well preserved white glass nilas. The brown worn nilas are earthy and useful as neutral spacers.
Bead size ranges from 4-6mm. 24 inches of beads.
Circa 1200-1600 C.E.
More info:
Nila / dardig beads are the antique and ancient glass beads than can be found in colors ranging from blue, green, red, black, white to yellow that are widespread in West Africa. They are sometimes 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 also 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
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gao
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songhai_Empire
African Item 1811
USPS First Class Mail (now also known as Ground Advantage) is FREE for all U.S. orders of $35.00 or more, and is $4.00 for orders of less than $35.00.
USPS First Class International Shipping is now available for $7.50 for orders of less than $99.00 and is FREE for orders of $99.00 or more.
UPS , FedEx and Priority services via USPS are available for an additional fee.
For China and India, and some other regions, we only use UPS, FedEX, or USPS Priority Express Mail International, due to better tracking and reliability of delivery.
Let us know if you have questions regarding shipping - we are here to help.
We will NOT use private shippers, freight forwarders or other private carriers to ship orders.
Note: if your order's shipping cost is less than we've charged you, we will credit you back for the difference, via your payment method.
Sometimes shipments take longer than we'd like for arrival at their destination. Please allow adequate time for arrival and use tracking information as available. Need more help? Email us at help@ritaokrent.com and we will do everything possible to help you locate your parcel.
At the Rita Okrent Collection, we want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. Items purchased from the RitaOkrent.com website in sale-able condition can be returned for a full refund - please contact us within 30 days of receipt or 45 days of purchase to indicate that you will be returning your purchase (via email at help@ritaokrent.com or ritaokrent@gmail.com). Customer is responsible for return shipping and insurance to the Rita Okrent Collection. Please ship your purchase back to us as soon as possible in order to expedite your refund. Your refund will be processed immediately upon return receipt of your purchase.
Please ship your purchases back to:
Rita Okrent Collection
1585 Hillsmont Drive
El Cajon, California 92020
USA
