A World on a String
ABOVE: Made in the Msinga area in 1981.
Beads, though tiny, have long fulfilled a great human need. Made of various materials, beads are small, perforated, and often rounded objects found throughout the world. In nearly all religions of the world, beads have been accorded a sanctified place in the quest for the divine. The tiny treasure has enriched cultural, religious, and social life unlike any other object in history. This is more true in Africa than in any other place in the world.
Since ancient times, African peoples have cherished beads and appreciated their beauty. Glass beads, in particular, are a common element of African adornment and are widely used in African clothing and regalia. The earliest examples of locally manufactured African beads are disk-shaped beads made from ostrich eggshells; these date to around 10,000 B.C. and have been found from archaeological sites in Libya and Sudan.
Today, Africans continue the tradition of creating beautiful works of beaded art and these artworks retain their importance within the African communities. The work and materials of bead artists continues to evolve and adapt. African artists experiment with new materials, including plastic beads that are imported from Europe. Many of the works produced are intended for foreign patrons such as tourists. The continued interest and fascination in African beadwork assures that it will continue to flourish and be enjoyed by the entire world.
ABOVE:
(LEFT) Old bead-covered gourd from
the Eastern Cape.
(RIGHT) The top necklace is made
from teeth and glass beads. The middle
piece is made from tamboti wood. The
bottom one has clay and glass beads.
All are from the Eastern Cape
ABOVE:
(LEFT) Carved wooden figure from
the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
covered with strings of small beads.
(RIGHT) Belt with an assortment of beaded
amulets hanging from it. Might have been
worned by a king.