Bead Collections

Ancient Agates

Agate beads are among the oldest beads produced, dating back to close to 6000 BC. By the 3rd millennium BC, agates were actively traded across the Near East. Agate, as a stone, is often formed with concentric bands. The bands sometimes look like eyes, fanciful scallops or landscapes. In ancient times, agate was valued as a talisman. It was said to quench thirst and protect against fevers. Our collection includes agates from the areas of Sumeria, Mesopotamia, Bactria and the Indus Valley regions. Later, Roman agates were traded throughout this whole region.

Ancient Amulets And Pendants

There has been a great emphasis on amulets since antiquity, and these objects are found in nearly all materials, but particularly in stone and faience.  Ancient Egypt, because of its funerary practices has more amulets than any other culture.  But amulets are found from ancient Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Syria and many other cultures.  Beads themselves, dZi beads for example, serve amuletic function.  Melon beads, historically, have also been used as amulets.

Ancient Flat Stone Beads

Our collection of ancient flat stone beads features superb agates from the Mesopotamian and Sumerian cultures. The Mesopotamian cultures of the Tigris and Euphrates River regions date back to 4000 BC. The superb craftsmanship of these flat stone beads demonstrates both an extremely high degree of skill, as well as the appreciation that these cultures had for such works of beauty and adornment.

Ancient Stone Beads

In addition to agates, ancient Neolithic and post-Neolithic beads were made from lapis, carnelian, jasper, gneiss, diorite, marble, amazonite and other stones. Mali is the largest source for ancient stone beads, including tabular ones and pendants. Our stone bead collection includes beads from the African continent, but also from Central Asia and the Far East.

Ancient Indo-Tibetan Agates

This collection of beads features agates prized in the Himalayan regions.These types of agates are undecorated, but have often been enhanced by “cooking” to alter the color or darken the stone. Most of these agates date to approximately 1000 BC.

Pyu-Pumtek Style Beads

This group of beads is an outstanding group of Pyu and Pyu Pumtek-syle beads from the original Jackie Little and David Ebbinghouse Collections. These beads were collected by them  in the Indo-Tibetan regions in the 1980s.  These beads have been in a private collection and are now being shown for the first time in many years. For more info click here.

Ancient Pyu Beads

The Pyu culture in Burma dates as far back as 400-100 BC.  It flourished during most of the first millennium AD.  Artistically, the Pyu were highly sophisticated craftsman and goldsmiths.  In the world of beads, the Pyu are famous for their etched stone beads, glass beads, and their very sophisticated gold work.  Pyu bead smiths made exquiste beads from carnelian, agates, opalized or agatized palm and a rare form of green chalcedony.  The earliest forms of what we know as Pumtek beads have their origins in Pyu bead making.

Rare Indo-Tibetan Beads

In antiquity in Indo-Tibetan regions, decorated beads play a significant role in the spiritual beliefs and customs of the region. Beads, and decorated beads especially, are still very much a part of the religious and cultural lives of people in the Himalayan regions. Our decorated Indo-Tibetan beads include various types of dZi beads, agate eye beads and special etched carnelians.

Etched Carnelian Beads

The practice of decorating beads dates back to the 3rd millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Etched carnelian beads from the Indus Valley have been found, most notably, in the tombs at UR. Our collection of etched carnelians contains ancient beads from the Indus Valley and Central Asia.

Ancient Neolithic Beads

Our Neolithic collection features beads from Mali and elsewhere in Africa, as well as Central Asia and Afghanistan. Perhaps the most dramatic Neolithic stone beads are the ancient gneiss beads. These are believed to originate from the Dogon culture. It is still not known how these spectacular ancient beads were manufactured. When looking at these beads, it is amazing to realize that they were made without the assistance of metal bead making tools.

Ancient Glass Beads

The glass bead industry began as early as 1500 BC in both Egypt and Mesopotamia. The predecessor to early glass is faience, which dates back to as early as 4000 BC. The mastery of the techniques of glass bead making can be seen in the range of color and intricacy of design of individual beads. Our collection includes beads from the early Roman Era(first millennium BC to 476 AD), as well as glass beads from the period of Islamic dominance(600 AD to 1400AD). Glass bead production allowed the craftsmen to try and reproduce, and elaborate upon, the natural beauty of stone.

Pre-Columbian Beads

Our Pre-Columbian collection includes beads and necklaces from ancient Mexico, Guatemala, Columbian and Peru. Many of these beads have been personally collected during our travels there.