Javanese Jatim Bead Strand

A warm orange line, slightly uneven, the way handmade things tend to be.

This Jatim bead strand is Javanese, from East Java, Indonesia, dating to the 8th / 9th century, in glass. Small monochrome glass beads of this kind are thought to have been made and traded widely across early Southeast Asia, with East Java among the recognized sources. The strand is a single row of tiny opaque beads in burnt orange, each one a little different in shape and finish. Their surfaces are matte and lightly pitted, and the color deepens in places to coral. It is 12 inches long.

Some colors simply refuse to fade.