The sentiment and deep history of the use and creation of Prayer Beads dates back thousands of years. Augmenting Prayer Beads into your jewelry designs and interior design projects will add the refined touch of spirituality and reverence that you’ve been looking for. At The Bead Chest we have a plethora of choices when it comes to Prayer Beads! From our ornate brass prayer beads to our intricate hand carved and engraved shell and coral prayer beads and from our elaborate glass prayer beads to our striking bone prayer beads we have the perfect strand for every kind of design project.

The existence of Prayer Beads dates all the back to 5,000 BC. Prayer Beads can be seen depicted in ancient murals and paintings from Greece and India. From the 3rd to 5th centuries many Christians used pebbles, stones and knotted ropes as Prayer Beads. These ancient forms of Prayer Beads were referred to as paternosters. They were used to count repetitions of the Lord’s Prayer. As time went on Roman Catholics and Anglicans started using Prayer Beads and the traditional 59 bead rosary was created. At the time many Catholic artisans started creating intricate prayer beads and rosaries strands on chains of gold and silver using stones like amethyst, glass, rose quartz, black onyx, pearl and obsidian as accent beads.

In Islam prayer beads are referred to as Misbaha, Sibha and Tasbih. They usually contain 99 beads and are used to count while saying a prayer to Allah. Many Sikh worshipers use mala prayer beads when reciting prayer verses from the Guru Granth Sahib. It is customary in Sikh culture to wear prayer beads around the wrist and around turbans. In Hinduism prayer beads have also been used for hundreds of years. Hinduism practitioners call their version of prayer beads japa mala. Japa malas are used to aid in counting when repeating Hindu mantras. Countries all over across East Asia also have used prayer beads throughout history. The Chinese refer to prayer beads as Shuzhu and the Japanese refer to prayer beads as Juzu. Mala beads are also used in many Tibetan Buddhist practices.

On top of being absolutely beautiful many users and wearers of Prayer Beads attach different meanings to the many colors and forms that they come in. Red prayer beads are said to be grounding and energizing. Pink prayer beads are said to help balance emotions and encourage unconditional love. Orange prayer beads are for stimulating creativity and stress relief. Yellow prayer beads are said to have a uplifting energy that inspires wisdom. Green prayer beads are said to help connect the wearer with mother earth and soothe the mind. Blue prayer beads are said to protect the wearer from negative energy. Purple prayer beads are said to be calming and help foster self confidence. Black prayer beads are said to give the wearer serenity and good fortune. White prayer beads are said to dispel negativity and give the wearer better balance. Brown and wood prayer beads are said to inspire maturity and emotional healing.

With so many amazing options in all colors from so many different cultures we know we have the perfect prayer bead strand for you! So please feel free to get lost in this curated section. We can’t wait to see how you use your new prayer beads.