What are glass beaded jewelry? Ever heard of them? Maybe it would be nice to try them to take break from your usual pearls and diamonds, right? Glass beads are a fascinating, beautiful creation after all. If you are not so familiar with them, they actually function as currency, gifts, works of art and symbols of high status. They were even known as being created, traded, and worn as jewelry by the earliest civilized societies, from Egyptians to Romans, Vikings to Native Americans. There are nearly as many types of glass beads as there are colors in the spectrum.
History
The technology for glass bead making is among the oldest of human arts and it dates back to 3000 years ago. Glass beads have also been dated back to at least the Roman times. The earliest of its kind was probably the Egyptian faience beads, a clay bead with a self-forming vitreous coating. Glass beads are significant in archaeology because the presence of glass beads often indicate that there was trade and that the bead making technology was being spread.
Production
So how are glass beaded jewelry made? Modern mass-produced beads are generally shaped by carving or casting, depending on the material and desired effect. In some cases, more specialized metalworking or glassworking techniques may be used, or a combination of multiple techniques and materials may be used too. A very minor industry in blown glass beads also existed in 19th-century Venice and France.
Other types of Glass Beads
Czech glass beads, lampwork beads and cat's eye beads are the most common types. Other types include handmade dichroic glass beads, Millefiori glass beads, and lampworked glass beads. The less common ones are the bumpy glass beads.
