Tiny Clamshell Heishi Beads
Description
The name Heishi‚ comes to us from the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, and can be translated as shell bead. The earliest recorded beads were made using the Heishi technique. Heishi are produced by perforating shell fragments, threading them on wire, and then grinding them into disk shapes against a stone. Whereas Heishi originally referred only to shell beads made with this technique, the term is now applied to disk-shaped beads made from almost any natural material.
PICTURE IS AN EXAMPLE. YOURS WILL BE SIMILAR.
Strand Length: 26 inches (includes string/raffia)
Bead Size: 7-8 mm diameter. See picture with penny for size comparison. U.S. p
Approximate Age: 20th Century
Country of Origin: Africa
Length Details
Size Details
Material
Condition
Overall Condition: Good. Some of our beads have traveled at least three continents, and have graced numerous owners. Small chips, corrosion, and pitting are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.