| You might feel that the history of handcrafted | | | | made out of glass, bone, porcelain, shells, paper, |
| beaded jewelry cannot possibly be very | | | | clay, metals, gemstones, ivory, and even wood. |
| interesting, but in fact, it is quite intriguing to learn | | | | Bead craftsman often held the trade secrets in |
| where this part of culture began. Some say that | | | | confidence. They were expected to keep the |
| it began more than 70,000 years ago when man | | | | bead-making skills a secret. Some of them even |
| found the beads and gems and thought it was | | | | risked themselves if they failed to keep the |
| incredibly beautiful. Beaded jewelry has been used | | | | information to themselves. Mass production of |
| in many ways. One way is simply for beauty. | | | | beads didn't even begin until the 1800s when glass |
| Another is for value. Some would trade and buy | | | | beading became widely available. It was at this |
| with beaded jewelry or beads. And some cultures | | | | time that Swarovski created their process for |
| even used them as talisman. So how was | | | | making their special beads which are still in high |
| handmade jewelry initially created? Let's take a | | | | demand today. Even today, the secrets of how |
| look. | | | | their beads are made are kept secret. |
| Although a man or a woman living in those times | | | | Different parts of the world created different |
| would not possibly have any practical use for | | | | types of handcrafted beaded jewelry. Central and |
| them; however, they could not carry them | | | | South America are known for their wampum and |
| around without modern day bags or carrying | | | | quill creations, while Native American beadwork |
| devices, nor did they have pockets. So, as legend | | | | usually included a lot of turquoise and silver. Bead |
| tells us, they attached the gemstones or beads | | | | making in France began as early as 38,000 BC! |
| to leather straps and wore them around their | | | | Worry beads, Filigree, and highly decorated |
| neck to create the first handcrafted beaded | | | | ceramic beads originated in Greece, while Italy |
| jewelry. Over time, handcrafted jewelry started | | | | specialized in the Murano glass beads. There are |
| to become a status symbol. Those with power | | | | dozens of other countries not yet discussed here, |
| and wealth were the ones who had beaded | | | | but this jewelry has a rich and vast history that is |
| jewelry. Beads even have been used as an item | | | | incredibly interesting. Suffice it to say that there is |
| of value for which trade could be made. | | | | a rich cultural tradition with wearing beaded |
| Beaded jewelry has been made out of many | | | | jewelry. |
| types of beads. Beads have been known to be | | | | |