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African Beads

African beads have historically been used as a way to display power, but also served as an offering to the gods. They were made from stone, and often the shells of eggs. African’s were experts when it came to carving and creating this type of embellishment.

African beads were also used for trading purposes. The people of Africa would use them to trade with the Europeans for needed materials essential for survival. The trading of beads was also a method of buying slaves freedom.

Today African beads are still a part of the culture. While mediums such as shells are still used, they have now upgraded turned to a more modernized form of creation. A wood furnace is used to heat glass and metal into various shapes. These types of beads are very unique, as the method of production is still outdated in comparison the many other places, which makes each bead a complete individual.

 

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