Overview / /
The collection of beads shown in this volume fall under three categories:
- Ancient
- Ethnographic
- Mixed.
As in volume one, the objective of showing these beads is to give them a second life, after all, the true primary purpose of these pieces has always been personal adornment. A few strands, mainly of the ancient varieties, may prove too delicate to wear, especially the Roman and Indonesian mosaic beads.
The ancient stone and glass beads may have been produced in India, although Iran and Egypt were also known for their bead-making industries. So there is always the possibility that they could have been produced in the Middle East. Many semi-precious stones, such as lapis-lazuli, carnelian, rock-crystal and amethyst were found throughout Afghanistan and India, and with the extend of trade and travel between all these areas at the time, we must accept that sometimes the exact origin can be speculative.
The strands of mixed beads show beads of different origin. It is wonderful to see how a single strand unites time, culture and style.
