Ethiopian Strand of Beads

Honey at one end, burnt sugar at the other, and nothing here matches.

This strand of beads comes from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 19th century, made of amber. Large amber beads have long been worn in East Africa as adornment and as a visible store of wealth, passed along and restrung over generations. About thirty fat, rounded beads run from pale honey through orange to a deep reddish brown, with a darker bead or two among them. Some show cloudy swirls. A twist of plain white cord ties the strand together and leaves a loop at the top.

Some necklaces try harder than this. They do not do better.