Ancient Beads World
Ancient beads sourced in Africa, Middle East and Europe
Beads shown on this website were made over a period of time from the 7th century B.C. to the 14th century A.D. including the Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, Migrations and Islamic periods. They were made in the Middle East, Mediterranean Basin, the Central or Northern Europe and in some cases the Far East. It is always difficult to assess the exact date and origin of ancient beads because they have travelled far from the place where they were made. Moreover, certain types of beads were reproduced over several centuries. Details mentioned are based on available documentation and dates are given as a rough guide.
AMBER
FAIENCE
GLASS
METAL
STONE
Last update : 17th July 2010
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