[{"id":190155717,"handle":"12-and-under","title":"$12 and Under","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:05:57-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2016-04-02T13:32:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"less_than","condition":"12.01"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":190155845,"handle":"21-and-under","title":"$21 and Under","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:05:57-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2016-04-02T13:32:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"less_than","condition":"21.01"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":190155909,"handle":"49-and-under","title":"$49 and Under","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2016-04-02T13:34:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"less_than","condition":"49.01"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":190128965,"handle":"african-beads","title":"African Beads","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"Each African Bead carries its own story; a rich history and story behind it. Many will have had numerous owners, and seen multiple continents by the time they arrive to you. African beads and jewelry have played an enormous role in the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-culture\/\"\u003eculture\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-fashion\/\"\u003efashion\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-economy\/\"\u003eeconomy\u003c\/a\u003e, and artistic expression of the African people. Today, they are cherished by \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-for-collectors\/\"\u003ecollectors\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-jewelry\/\"\u003ejewelry makers\u003c\/a\u003e, and everyday people who just love wearing African beads!\n\u003ch2 class=\"green\"\u003eThe Basics of African Beads\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe term African Beads is used to refer to both beads locally produced by indigenous people of the African continent as well as Trade Beads that have traveled from other parts of the world and now circulate or were recently sourced from Africa. Together these beads have played an enormous role in the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-culture\/\"\u003eculture\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-fashion\/\"\u003efashion\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-economy\/\"\u003eeconomy\u003c\/a\u003e, and artistic expression of the African people. Today, they are cherished by \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-for-collectors\/\"\u003ecollectors\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-trade-beads-in-jewelry\/\"\u003ejewelry makers\u003c\/a\u003e, and everyday people who just love wearing African beads! \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/african-tribal-beads\/\"\u003eAfrican tribal beads\u003c\/a\u003e and glass beads also hold a special \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/blog\/mythical-significance-african-glass-beads\/\" title=\"Mythical significance of African glass beads\"\u003emythical significance\u003c\/a\u003e as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeads and Beadmaking have a long history in Africa. Beads have been made by indigenous Africans for thousands of years. In ancient times Egyptians, Greeks, and Indians established trading bases in East Africa and eventually the Arabs invaded in the eighth century and established trade routes with the wealthy kingdom of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/ghana-beads\" title=\"Ghana beads\"\u003eGhana\u003c\/a\u003e in modern day Mauritania. The Arabs brought \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/glass-beads\" title=\"Glass beads\"\u003eglass beads\u003c\/a\u003e to the Niger Delta to trade for gold and slaves. European explorers and traders began to arrive in the 15th century and this was followed by a tremendous influx of beads during the colonial period. At the peak of trade it is estimated that beads accounted for 40% of total imports or 2.5lbs glass beads \/year for every man, women and child. Today the tradition of beads continues to be ingrained in African culture and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/trade-beads\"\u003eold trade beads\u003c\/a\u003e are still used for internal commerce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe modern production of beads is in some sense a family tradition where tools and techniques are passed from one generation to the next. Beadmaking is a labor-intensive process and since many beads are hand made, this leads to variability in the appearance of individual beads even within a single strand. Production of beads is distributed throughout many countries on the African continent however the Hausa people of West Africa are particularly known for dominating the bead trade where they travel extensively to locate beads in villages, modify many beads, and sell them to local and foreign merchants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfrican Beads are made from a diverse array of materials. Some of the oldest beads were made from natural materials such as \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/stone-beads\" title=\"Stone beads\"\u003estones\u003c\/a\u003e, clay, plant materials such as doum palm nuts and bamboo stems, animal materials such as ostrich eggshells, bones such as the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/batik-bone-beads\" title=\"Batik bone beads\"\u003eBatik Bone bead\u003c\/a\u003e of Kenya, buffalo horn, and marine shells such as the Conus. These materials continue to be used today. Similarly, metal beads have been made from gold, bronze, and brass especially in West African countries such as Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/mali-beads\" title=\"Mali beads\"\u003eMali\u003c\/a\u003e, Cameroon, and Senegal. Silver has also been traditionally popular in \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/ethiopian-beads\" title=\"Ethiopian beads\"\u003eEthiopia\u003c\/a\u003e. Finally, glass beadmaking is also an ancient tradition in Africa where it has been practiced for at least 1000 years. The two techniques for making glass beads that dominate in Africa are \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/powder-glass-beads\" title=\"Powder glass beads\"\u003ePowder-glass Beadmaking\u003c\/a\u003e and Bida Glass Beadmaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe uses of beads in Africa are as varied as the materials used to make them. Beadwork is very popular in many African nations and is integrated into many art forms including clothing such as the stand-out collars of the Maasai tribe, headdresses and belts, wooden sculptures, small leather amulets, and a myriad of jewelry items where beads are regarded as items of wealth, power, and status. Because of their long history, beads continue to play a role in many traditional rites and ceremonies such as coming-of-age, circumcision, marriage, burial, and local festivals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe number of different African and African Trade Bead varieties in existence today is enormous. Any attempt at classification is further complicated by the fact that many beads have been reworked and redecorated over time to conform to local tastes and preferences. Some of the most well known varieties of African Beads today are \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/krobo-beads\" title=\"Krobo beads\"\u003eKrobo Beads\u003c\/a\u003e, Kakamba Beads, Mali Clay Beads and Mali Wedding Beads, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/chevron-beads\" title=\"Chevron beads\"\u003eChevrons\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/millefiori-beads\" title=\"Millefiori beads\"\u003eMillefiori\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/vaseline-beads\" title=\"Vaseline beads\"\u003eVaseline Beads\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/white-heart-beads\" title=\"White heart beads\"\u003eWhite Heart Beads\u003c\/a\u003e, Kiffa Beads, and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/hebron-beads\" title=\"Hebron trade beads\"\u003eHebron Beads\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2016-04-02T08:48:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":true,"rules":[{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Ghana"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Kenya"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Ethiopia"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Ivory Coast"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Mali"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Burkina Faso"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Cameroon"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Nigeria"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Niger"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Guinea-Bissau"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Morocco"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Sudan"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Afghanistan"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Togo"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"West Africa"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":293181030555,"handle":"all-products-oos","title":"All Products including Out of Stock","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2023-09-18T15:21:32-07:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"-1000"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":79632826458,"handle":"beads","title":"Beads","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2018-09-30T19:33:37-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"title","relation":"contains","condition":"Bead"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":239126315163,"handle":"beads-for-jewelry-design","title":"Beads for Jewelry Design","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"Explore our selection of beads and supplies for jewelry making. With over 5,000 products to choose from, we carry one of the most unique and diverse collections of beading supplies on the web!","published_at":"2021-02-03T10:47:48-08:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"title","relation":"not_contains","condition":"Jumbo"},{"column":"title","relation":"not_contains","condition":"Cloth"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2021-02-24T13:42:25-08:00","alt":null,"width":1026,"height":799,"src":"\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/920c1026b4c03e53d92ce40ddaae1f5e.jpg?v=1614202946"}},{"id":190130437,"handle":"copper-beads","title":"Copper Beads","updated_at":"2025-03-08T03:15:05-08:00","body_html":"Lo and behold our vast collection of ethnic copper beads from Africa and around the world. As a jewelry element, copper is often bypassed in favor of stronger, more durable materials such as brass and silver, however, when used in bead-craft, it can be surprisingly strong. The use of copper for producing \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thebeadchest.com\/collections\/metal-beads\" title=\"Metal beads from Africa\"\u003eafrican metal beads\u003c\/a\u003e is thought to date back to around 1300 B.C when tribespeople first discovered copper deposits among the Dix-Huit Montagnes of the Ivory Coast. Small, yet striking, our tiny Copper Heishi Beads are a prime example of early Copper Beads produced around this period. They are modeled upon ancient shell heishi beads, and have been worn for centuries by women of Ethiopia's Omo Valley tribes whom believe copper to be particularly advantageous in improving fertility. Many eco-conscious African tribes object to industrial mining in the region due to its devastating impact on the natural environment. Because of this, nearly 75% of all african copper beads are now produced using recycled copper formerly used for pipes, wiring, radiators and industrial boiler tanks. Strips of copper are slow heated over an open flame, then slowly wound around a hollowed mandrel. As the beads begin to cool, they are hammered into shape using a flat-sided stone. In Ethiopia, the winding process incepted for producing solid copper beads has since been adapted for both cylindrical and annular Ethiopian Tube Beads. Their beautifully antiquated, seamless finish makes them inherently popular among Bohemian jewelry crafters who use them as spacers for necklaces, or strung upon leather thong for a chic, minimalist look. Enjoy these great tribal metal beads for all your jewelry making needs.","published_at":"2016-04-02T08:48:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"equals","condition":"Copper"},{"column":"title","relation":"contains","condition":"Bead"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":322183823515,"handle":"couponable","title":"Couponable","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2024-11-15T11:15:03-08:00","sort_order":"alpha-asc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Couponable"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":319572738203,"handle":"everyday-value-finds","title":"Everyday Value Finds","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:04:49-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2024-10-04T10:20:34-07:00","sort_order":"alpha-asc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":"5"},{"column":"variant_price","relation":"less_than","condition":"15.01"},{"column":"title","relation":"contains","condition":"Bead"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":190132997,"handle":"metal-beads","title":"Metal Beads","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:00:01-08:00","body_html":"Ornate and beautiful, African Metal Beads have long been an expressive art medium for indigenous tribes of the Southern and Eastern Capes. Their versatility as both a currency and symbol of status has vastly improved the fortunes of many impoverished regions, and borne an art form that continues to be imparted by ancestors to younger generations. Focal African Copper Beads are thought to be among the earliest formats produced using the “lost wax” method; an ancient Tuareg technique involving the use of hollow wax molds to shape and set molten metal. Ductile and soft, copper is one of the easiest metals to manipulate into elaborate shapes, which is why you'll find the vast majority of Copper Beads here at The Bead Chest are characterised by intricate designs and filigree work. Ethiopian Heishi Beads produced prior to the 1950's also utilised this method, and historians suggest the ancient Tuareg technique may have paved the way for the cage-like Baoule Brass Beads now produced in abundance along the Ivory Coast. Africa's popular White Metal Beads are a more recent innovation. They are commonly produced using recyclable alloys, such as aluminium, sourced from discarded cans and industrial roofing. Metal Beads tend to be far less elaborate in character than their copper counterparts owing to the process by which they are made. Both Tube and Heishi Beads are produced using the “winding” technique – a process whereby the metal is heated until malleable, before winding it around a mandrel and hammering it into shape. This technique allows for greater uniformity when crafting smaller beads, making them ideal for bead-weaving and peyote style projects.","published_at":"2016-04-02T08:49:00-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Metal"},{"column":"title","relation":"contains","condition":"Bead"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":329238085787,"handle":"small-beads","title":"Small Beads (4 to 8mm)","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:05:52-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2025-03-05T16:07:01-08:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"greater_than","condition":"3"},{"column":"product_metafield_definition","relation":"less_than","condition":"9"},{"column":"title","relation":"contains","condition":"Bead"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":304599957659,"handle":"test","title":"TEST","updated_at":"2025-03-08T05:07:15-08:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2024-03-19T16:27:57-07:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"web"}]
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