White Thin Bone Heishi Kenya Beads

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.

Bone beads are a type of trade beads that were historically used as a form of currency and traded across the African continent. These beads were made from the horns, bones, and hooves of various domesticated animals, such as cows and goats.

The production of bovine beads was a labor-intensive process that required skilled artisans to carve and shape the raw materials into small, uniform beads. The finished beads were then polished and often decorated with intricate designs and patterns.

Bone beads were highly valued in many African societies and were used as a means of exchange in trade transactions. They were also used as a form of adornment, with individuals wearing strings of beads around their necks, wrists, and ankles as a sign of wealth and status.

Trade beads, including bovine beads, played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, where they were used to purchase enslaved individuals from African traders. The beads were often exchanged for other goods, such as gold and spices, before being transported to the Americas and used as currency in the slave trade.

Today, the bone beads continue to be produced and used in many African cultures, both as a form of currency and as a decorative item. They are also popular among collectors of African artifacts and are often sold in markets and souvenir shops throughout the continent.

In summary, bone beads are a type of trade bead made from the horns, bones, and hooves of domesticated animals. They were historically used as currency and played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Today, they continue to be produced and used in many African cultures as a form of exchange and adornment.

Photo is an example. Yours will be similar. You are purchasing one.

This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the string holding it together is not durable and may break with use. For this reason, we recommend that you restring the beads before wearing them.

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