About Beads

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Free Patterns    About Wire History    Tips    Trivia     BEADS....those perforated little beauties that intrigue us so! Defined several ways:     Beads: from the Anglo-Saxon "bidden, to pray, to tell ones' bedes." Any small or rounded component with a hole in it - or - a small, ball-shaped piece of glass, metal, wood, or other material pierced for stringing or threading.     In 1995 I wrote the following overview on beads for the appreciation reception for the founders of The Northwest Bead Society.     From prehistoric times to the present day, beads have been employed by many people for many purposes. Often used to denote social position, wealth or the achievements of the wearer, beads, by their size, type, quantity and colors, can have powerful tribal importance. There have always been people who value special bones, stones, shells, seeds and beads for their magical qualities. By incorporating beads into the cultural fabric of their lives, native people worldwide have given us a marvelously textured view of history.     Over the ages, the skill of bead makers and the demand for their artwork has led to these tiny treasures becoming an important ingredient of world trade. Used in an abacus or as items of barter, the value of beads in business has been immeasurable. As though they were road signs, beads are used by archaeologists to trace the spread of population and trading routes of ancient tribes and ethnic peoples. To this day, it is hard to find an ethnic group that does not give spiritual, religious, or tribal importance to beads.     Whether as ancient artifacts or contemporary jewelry, the ubiquitous bead has always had a fascinating appeal to humans. Beads, their creation, cultural meaning, trade and business significance, as well as decorative and ornamental uses can be a very satisfying study subject. Contact The Wire Wizard at: PO Box 50312, Bellevue, WA 98015-0312 Call toll-free at (866) 881-9698 E-Mail:  BeadLady @ TheWireWizard.com All content on The Wire Wizard website including text and images are copyright 1999 - 2007