Item #877
Type of bead: Powder glass trade beads
Ethnic group: Akan
Made in: Ghana, Africa
Approximate Age: Mid 20th century
In stock: 1 string, 69 cm 111 beads
Bead size: 7,8x 7,2 (mm)
Weight: 67 gram including string
Overall Condition: Good, small pitting
Powder Glass Beads are made in West-Africa, most of them in Ghana. Although the origins of bead making in Ghana are unknown, the powder glass beads that we know today are made by Asante/Ashanti and Krobo woman or craftsmen. The beads are mainly made from unusable or broken glass, but they sometimes purchased glass items just to make them into beads. The first Krobo beads were documented in the 1920s, but it is believed that the bead making started even longer ago. For the Krobo people the beads are still very important and could be used for several rituals, marriage, birth or death.
Provenance: Private collection. F.d.G in NL