Malian Strand of Beads

Grey beads in a tall loop, with one russet bead sneaking in at the base.

This strand of beads is from Mali, West Africa. It is excavated glass. Glass beads recovered from the ground are often centuries old, their surfaces worn or iridescent from long burial. Small, weathered beads in dusty grey, blue and cream, thickest in a ribbed whitish stretch at upper left. A single reddish-brown bead sits low in the curve. The finish is matte and chalky, tied off with thin thread.

Subtle, until the brown one catches the eye.