Beads were highly valuable in traditional African society, even today. They are used for different purposes. Most societies in Africa use them for adornment. They are also used for artworks. Besides using beads for fashion reasons, some African communities in the past used special types of beads as currencies for exchange of goods and services.
Beads can serve as a means of identity. In some communities for example, men of high status wear special kinds of beads to indicate their positions in the society. They can be worn to show the tribe or family a person belongs to.
The use of beads by Africans is said to have started as far back as 75,000 years ago. The first known examples of beads used for adornment purposes were discovered in 2004 by the Archaeologist Chris Henshilwood on the Blombos Cave on the SA coast. They were made with the shell of ostrich eggs.
Beads believed to be more than 12,000 years old were discovered in Kenya, Sudan and Libya. These beads made from egg shells were used by the Turkana people as currencies which were given to women before their actual marriage as part of their dowry.
Before Africans started using the glass beads in 4th century, the cowrie shell and bone beads served as currency for exchange of goods and services. However, the glass bead later became more popular and dominant source of currency for almost 700 years. Evidence proving the existence of glass beads in Africa was discovered in Egypt and South Africa. There is evidence that suggest that glass beads were introduced into Africa during the 4th century, from Portugal. This was the time when trade in Africa began to bloom.
However, the actual evidence of glass beads production in African nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Krobo dated back to 12 century. The initial method used in the production of these beads is referred to as wet-core powder method.
By 14th century, glass beads had become an acceptable currency for trade. The explorers used glass beads as a means of exchange. The economic activities of the explorers in African society helped to increase the production of African currency in Venice by 1500. Various types of beads were used during the Golden Trade Era in Africa. Examples of beads used then were the Stripe Chevrons beads, Venetian trade beads, and Millefiori beads.
By Justin Anumiri
Photo by Brian McMahon on Unsplash
Africa Global News Publication
