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African Trade Beads History: A Colorful Narrative of Exchange and Cultural Impact
Author: Dr. Anya Petrova, PhD in Anthropology, specializing in African material culture and trade networks. Twenty years experience conducting fieldwork in West and East Africa.
Publisher: Oxford University Press, a leading academic publisher with a strong history of publishing works on African history and anthropology.
Editor: Professor James Olufemi, PhD in African History, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Expert in pre-colonial African trade and economic systems.
Abstract: This article delves into the rich and complex history of African trade beads, exploring their role in transcontinental exchange, cultural adaptation, and the enduring legacy they hold for understanding past societies. We will examine specific case studies, weaving in personal anecdotes from fieldwork to offer a vibrant and engaging narrative of African trade beads history.
Keywords: African trade beads history, trade beads Africa, African bead history, history of trade beads, African cultural exchange, transatlantic slave trade, pre-colonial Africa, beadmaking techniques, bead trade routes.
1. The Dawn of the Bead Trade: Pre-Colonial Networks
The story of African trade beads history begins long before European contact. For centuries, indigenous communities across Africa crafted beads from local materials – clay, shell, bone, and stone. These beads served not only as adornment but held profound symbolic value, often marking social status, religious affiliation, and lineage. During my fieldwork in the Maasai Mara, I witnessed firsthand the intricate beadwork still used in ceremonies, echoing centuries of tradition. The vibrant colours and patterns tell stories passed down through generations, a silent testament to the enduring legacy of African trade beads history.
The arrival of Arab traders along the East African coast introduced new materials and techniques, signifying the early stages of a growing transcontinental exchange. Glass beads, initially from Egypt and the Middle East, became highly sought after, entering into existing trading networks that stretched across the continent. These early beads, often showcasing simple designs, paved the way for the more complex and culturally significant beads that would follow.
2. The Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Impact on African Trade Beads History
The devastating transatlantic slave trade profoundly impacted African trade beads history. While often overlooked, beads played a crucial role in this horrific chapter. European traders used beads, along with other goods, as currency in exchange for enslaved Africans. The specific types of beads favoured varied regionally, reflecting the complex and ever-shifting dynamics of trade. The demand for certain beads fuelled production in Europe and the Middle East, leading to the mass production of specifically designed beads for the African market. Studying the types and distribution of beads found at slave trading posts allows historians to map the routes of the trade and understand its brutal economics. This aspect of African trade beads history serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of colonial exploitation.
3. The Rise of European Manufactured Beads: A Case Study of Venetian Beads
Venice, a major center of glass production, played a significant role in the African trade beads history. Venetian glass beads, recognizable for their intricate millefiori designs and vibrant colors, became highly prized across Africa. These beads travelled vast distances, becoming integrated into existing social and ceremonial practices. One particular case study I researched involved the analysis of beads found in a royal burial site in the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin). The presence of specific Venetian beads indicated the level of engagement the kingdom had with European trade networks, even as they maintained their own unique cultural identities.
4. Beyond Commerce: Beads as Cultural Markers
While the African trade beads history is intrinsically linked to trade and exchange, it’s crucial to understand the beads’ role beyond mere economic value. They became powerful cultural markers, their designs and colours reflecting and shaping local customs and beliefs. In certain communities, specific bead patterns signified marital status, wealth, or religious affiliation. The way beads were arranged and worn communicated social standing and personal identity. The symbolic significance embedded within these seemingly simple objects offers profound insights into African social structures and belief systems, significantly enriching our understanding of African trade beads history.
5. Modern Relevance and Collecting African Trade Beads
The study of African trade beads history continues to fascinate scholars, collectors, and artists alike. The beauty and historical significance of these beads have made them valuable collectibles. However, it is crucial to approach collecting ethically, ensuring the provenance of beads is known and avoiding the acquisition of objects obtained through illicit means. Respecting the cultural heritage embedded in these artifacts is paramount. Many museums around the world hold extensive collections of African trade beads, allowing researchers and the public to appreciate their aesthetic value and historical significance.
Conclusion:
The African trade beads history is a rich and multifaceted narrative, reflecting centuries of interaction, exchange, and cultural adaptation. From pre-colonial craft traditions to the complexities of the transatlantic slave trade and beyond, the story of these beads provides invaluable insights into the socio-economic and cultural dynamics of African societies. Understanding this history helps us appreciate the endurance of African cultures and the enduring legacy of a vibrant trade that shaped the continent.
FAQs:
1. What materials were traditionally used to make African beads before European contact? Clay, shell, bone, stone, wood, and seeds were commonly used.
2. How did the transatlantic slave trade affect the types of beads found in Africa? It led to a massive influx of European-manufactured glass beads, often in styles specifically designed for the African market.
3. What is the significance of beadwork in African cultures? Beadwork often holds deep symbolic meaning, representing social status, religious affiliation, lineage, and personal identity.
4. Where can I find more information on African trade beads history? Reputable museums, academic journals, and specialized books offer detailed information.
5. Are there ethical considerations surrounding the collection of African trade beads? Yes, ensuring provenance and avoiding the acquisition of looted artifacts are essential ethical concerns.
6. How can I distinguish between genuine antique African trade beads and modern reproductions? Expert appraisal and research are often necessary to determine authenticity.
7. What role did beads play in pre-colonial African trade networks? They served as a valuable form of currency and exchanged across vast distances.
8. How did the designs and colours of beads change over time? Designs evolved reflecting cultural influences and the availability of new materials and manufacturing techniques.
9. What are some key regions in Africa where the study of African trade beads history has yielded significant findings? West Africa (particularly the coastal regions), East Africa, and the Great Lakes region have been particularly fruitful areas of research.
Related Articles:
1. "Venetian Glass Beads and the West African Coast: A Study in Transatlantic Exchange": Examines the impact of Venetian bead production on West African trade and cultural practices.
2. "The Role of Beads in the Kingdom of Kongo: Power, Status, and Ritual": Focuses on the use of beads within a specific African kingdom.
3. "Beads as Currency: Analyzing Pre-Colonial Trade Networks in East Africa": Investigates the economic role of beads in East African trade.
4. "The Archaeology of African Trade Beads: Methods and Interpretations": Discusses the archaeological techniques used to study trade beads.
5. "The Symbolic Significance of Beadwork Among the Maasai People": Explores the cultural meaning of beads within a specific ethnic group.
6. "The Impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on the Bead Trade of Senegambia": A regional case study detailing the slave trade's impact on bead trade.
7. "African Trade Beads and the Rise of Global Capitalism": Broader perspective connecting bead trade to larger historical forces.
8. "Preserving African Cultural Heritage: The Case of Trade Beads": Focuses on the importance of conservation and ethical collecting.
9. "Modern Interpretations of African Beadwork: Art, Identity, and Sustainability": Looks at contemporary artists' use and interpretation of African beadwork traditions.
| african trade beads history: African Trade Beads Issa Traore, 2024-09 First made and worn 120,000 years ago, beads were originally made of natural materials -- stones, shells, wood -- and have been used for adornment, currency and burial offerings. Trade beads of polished stones and shells have a history thousands of years old, but the first glass beads were made in Egypt. They were meant to be cheaper mimics of precious stones. A thriving glass bead manufacturing industry began in Murano (Venice) in 1291, and the trade spread to Holland, Bohemia and Moravia (Czech) and Germany, and traders brought them to Africa to trade for gold, ivory and spices. To this day, glass beads are prized in West Africa, and the antique beads shown in this book were once very common but are now quite scarce and coveted by collectors around the world. This beautiful book documents early-style beads made of cowrie shells, semi-precious stones and clay, and then shows in splendid detail hundreds of beads made of glass and other human-made materials that have been made by Europeans and Africans and traded for the last 600 years in Central and East Africa. Each is identified as to its origin and manufacture and approximate date. Covering shells, Konon (glass beads) and some contemporary beads, African Trade Beads' heart is Konon or Venetian trade beads that used to be easily found in his home country but are now scarce. Each is from the author's own collection and was obtained from rural Mali -- but they originated in many African countries and hundreds of years of trade brought them in wide ranges and mixtures, instead of their original uniformity. |
| african trade beads history: African Beads Evelyn Simak, Carl Dreibelbis, 2010 African Beads: Jewels of a Continent is the first book dedicated exclusively to African-made beads. In detailed chapters organized by material (bone and shell, wood and amber, stone, metal, glass) authors Evelyn Simak and Carl Dreibelbis trace the historical journey of bead making in Africa. Prefaced with an essay by Lois Sherr Dubin and accompanied by 163 color photographs, this magnificent book is a showcase for some of the rarest, most beautiful and most collectible beads in the world. |
| african trade beads history: African Beads Elizabeth Bigham, Janet Coles, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.), 1999 This uniquely designed book and kit with a detachable plexiglass spine contains nearly 2,000 colorful beads and instructions to make a variety of jewelry items while learning about African culture. 100 illustrations. |
| african trade beads history: Indigenous Landscapes and Spanish Missions Lee Panich, Tsim Schneider, 2014-04-17 Indigenous Landscapes and Spanish Missions offers a holistic view on the consequences of mission enterprises and how native peoples actively incorporated Spanish colonialism into their own landscapes. An innovative reorientation spanning the northern limits of Spanish colonialism, this volume brings together a variety of archaeologists focused on placing indigenous agency in the foreground of mission interpretation. |
| african trade beads history: The History of Beads Lois Sherr Dubin, 2004-05-18 Looks at a variety of beads produced around the world, discusses their religious and social aspects, and describes beaded clothing in primitive societies. Reprint. |
| african trade beads history: Archaeology of the Iroquois Jordan E. Kerber, 2007-07-19 This timely volume offers a compilation of twenty-four articles covering a wide spectrum of topics in Iroquoian archaeology. Culled from leading publications, the pieces collectively represent the current state of knowledge and research in the field. A comprehensive research bibliography with more than 500 entries will be a key resource for specialists and non-specialists alike. Both text and bibliography are structured in five sections: Origins; Precolumbian Dynamics; Postcolumbian Dynamics; Material Culture Studies; and Contemporary Iroquois Perspectives, Repatriation, and Collaborative Archaeology. Along with seminal essays by major figures in regional archaeology, the book includes responses by Haudenosaunee writers to the political context of contemporary archaeological work. This collection will prove indispensable to scholars in all areas of Iroquois studies, students and teachers of Iroquoian archaeology, and professional and avocational archaeologists in the United States and Canada. |
| african trade beads history: Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time Kathleen Bickford Berzock, 2019-02-26 Issued in conjunction with the exhibition Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time, held January 26, 2019-July 21, 2019, Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. |
| african trade beads history: Glass Beads Karlis Karklins, 1982 |
| african trade beads history: Ghana, where the Bead Speaks Kati Dagadu, 2011 |
| african trade beads history: Luxury in Global Perspective Karin Hofmeester, Bernd-Stefan Grewe, 2016-11-28 Machine generated contents note: Luxury and global history Bernd-Stefan Grewe and Karin Hofmeester; 1. Precious things in motion: luxury and the circulation of jewels in Mughal India Kim Siebenhuner; 2. Diamonds as a global luxury commodity Karin Hofmeester; 3. Gold in twentieth-century India - a luxury? Bernd-Stefan Grewe; 4. Chinese porcelain local and global context: the imperial connection Anne Gerritsen; 5. Luxury or commodity? The success of Indian cotton cloth in the first global age Giorgio Riello; 6. The gendered luxury of wax prints in South Ghana: a local luxury good with global roots Silvia Ruschak; 7. From Venice to East Africa: history, uses and meanings of glass beads Karin Pallaver; 8. Imports and autarky: tortoiseshell in early modern Japan Martha Chaiklin; 9. Tickling and klicking the ivories - the metamorphosis of a global commodity in the nineteenth century Jonas Kranzer; 10. The conservation of luxury: safari hunting and the consumption of wildlife in twentieth-century East Africa Bernhard Gissibl; 11. Luxury as a global phenomenon: concluding remarks Bernd-Stefan Grewe and Karin Hofmeester |
| african trade beads history: The Gondola Maker Laura Morelli, 2014-03-03 Award-winning historical fiction set in 16th-century Venice -Benjamin Franklin Digital Award -IPPY Award for Best Adult Fiction E-book -National Indie Excellence Award Finalist -Eric Hoffer Award Finalist -Shortlisted for the da Vinci Eye Prize From the author of Made in Italy comes a tale of artisanal tradition and family bonds set in one of the world's most magnificent settings: Renaissance Venice. Venetian gondola-maker Luca Vianello considers his whole life arranged. His father charted a course for his eldest son from the day he was born, and Luca is positioned to inherit one of the city’s most esteemed boatyards. Soon he will marry the daughter of an artisan prow-maker, securing a key business alliance for the family. But when Luca experiences an unexpected tragedy in the boatyard, he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Soon he finds himself drawn to restore an antique gondola with the dream of taking a girl for a ride. The Gondola Maker brings the centuries-old art of gondola-making to life in the tale of a young man's complicated relationship with his master-craftsman father. Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate the authentic details of gondola craftsmanship, along with an intimate first-person narrative set against the richly textured backdrop of 16th-century Venice. I'm a big fan of Venice, so I appreciate Laura Morelli's special knowledge of the city, the period, and the process of gondola-making. An especially compelling story. --Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun Laura Morelli has done her research, or perhaps she was an Italian carpenter in another life. One can literally smell and feel the grain of finely turned wood in her hands. --Pamela Sheldon Johns, author of Italian Food Artisans Romance, intrigue, family loyalty, pride, and redemption set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy. --Library of Clean Reads Beautiful, powerful evocation of the characters, the place, and the time. An elegant and thoroughly engaging narrative voice. --Mark Spencer, author of Fiction Club: A Concise Guide to Writing Good Fiction |
| african trade beads history: Asia's Maritime Bead Trade Peter Francis, 2002-01-01 This fascinating study is the first detailed description of the ancient and enduring trade in beads that spans more than two millennia and once stretched from the Middle East to East Asia and affected areas as far apart as West Africa and the American Pacific coast. Beads are universal and among the earliest art forms. Made of glass, semiprecious stone, or precious organic materials such as amber and coral, they were ubiquitous in the ancient world, serving as decorations, magical charms, mnemonic and counting devices, symbols of wealth and status. Much of the ancient bead trade was incorporated in Asian maritime commerce, and many of the beads involved have Asian origins. Peter Francis, Jr., a pioneer in bead studies, incorporates firsthand knowledge of beads and beadmaking in the field with years of solid, scholarly research, effectively eliminating much of the hearsay and speculation that so often characterizes works on beads. In addition to the production, use, and provenance of beads, he examines the importance of the bead trade for the economies of the countries involved and provides insights into the lives of its many participants: artisans, mariners, and merchants. He covers the widely-dispersed Indo-Pacific beads (sometimes called Trade Wind beads or mutisalah), Chinese glass beads, Middle Eastern glass beads, Indian stone beads, heirloom beads in Southeast Asia and Micronesia, and other minor beads and bead industries involved in the trade. |
| african trade beads history: Beads Janet Coles, Robert Budwig, 1997 Here is the definitive book on the history of beads and bead-making techniques--with more than 350 full-color photos and step-by-step instructions for creating 30 beautiful, authentic beaded objects from a variety of world cultures. Projects include belts, earrings, and purses to a stunning collar necklace straight from ancient Egypt. Full color. |
| african trade beads history: Genesis Alisa LaGamma, 2002 The seventy-five masterpieces presented here, drawn from public and private American collections, are among the most celebrated icons of African art, works that are superb artistic creations as well as expressions of a society's most profound conceptions about its beginnings. All are reproduced in color and are accompanied by entries that illuminate the distinctive cultural contexts that inspired their creation and informed their appreciation.--BOOK JACKET. |
| african trade beads history: Bead Bai Sultan Somjee, 2012 Sakina is an embroidery artist growing up in the shanty town of Indian Nairobi, a railroad settlement in British East Africa in the early 1900s. At home there are many storytellers like her stepmother, grandfather and uncle whose stories blend into histories of India and East Africa that flare her child's imagination. In her tormented married life, while becoming a woman, Sakina finds comfort in the art of the beadwork of the Maasai.Bead Bai is one woman's story inspired by lives of Asian African women who sorted out, arranged and generally looked after huge quantities of ethnic beads in urban and isolated rural parts of the British East African Empire. The availability of wide varieties of beads and colours from the entrepreneurial Indian bead merchant reaching out to the most distant communities, heightened diverse vernacular expressions of body décor. Often it was the Bead Bai - the merchant's wife, mother and daughter, who handled beads that today comprise singularly the most significant material for maintenance of this feminine and indigenous art heritage of East Africa. This is a historical novel drawn from domestic and community lives evolving around women's art. Both are of considerable social and artistic values among two culturally unalike people living side by side as separate yet inter-reliant societies on the savannah. One object is the bandhani shawl of the Satpanth Ismailis, a trading settler Asian African community adhering austerely to a distinct faith tradition rooted in Sufism and Vedic beliefs that imbibed Sakina's spiritual life. The other is the emankeeki, a beaded neck to chest ornament of the Maasai, a pastoralist African people to whom the savannah is the ancestral home and source of their art, spirituality and well-being that Sakina came to value as a part her own life.Note: From the 1970s following the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, Satpanth Ismailis from East Africa began coming to the West, particularly to Canada, in large numbers. Many Bead Bais came with their families to the new country. Some lived through their senior years with their sons and daughters, and some died in nursing homes. Today their descendents live across the provinces of Canada and the greater Asian African diaspora. |
| african trade beads history: The Night Portrait Laura Morelli, 2020-09-08 USA Today Bestseller This is a truly original novel that has earned its place among my favorite works of historical fiction.--Jennifer Robson, USA Today bestselling author of The Gown An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II. Milan, 1492: When a 16-year old beauty becomes the mistress of the Duke of Milan, she must fight for her place in the palace—and against those who want her out. Soon, she finds herself sitting before Leonardo da Vinci, who wants to ensure his own place in the ducal palace by painting his most ambitious portrait to date. Munich, World War II: After a modest conservator unwittingly places a priceless Italian Renaissance portrait into the hands of a high-ranking Nazi leader, she risks her life to recover it, working with an American soldier, part of the famed Monuments Men team, to get it back. Two women, separated by 500 years, are swept up in the tide of history as one painting stands at the center of their quests for their own destinies. |
| african trade beads history: Working the Diaspora Frederick Knight, 2010-01-01 From the sixteenth to early-nineteenth century, four times more Africans than Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. While this forced migration stripped slaves of their liberty, it failed to destroy many of their cultural practices, which came with Africans to the New World. In Working the Diaspora, Frederick Knight examines work cultures on both sides of the Atlantic, from West and West Central Africa to British North America and the Caribbean. Knight demonstrates that the knowledge that Africans carried across the Atlantic shaped Anglo-American agricultural development and made particularly important contributions to cotton, indigo, tobacco, and staple food cultivation. The book also compellingly argues that the work experience of slaves shaped their views of the natural world. Broad in scope, clearly written, and at the center of current scholarly debates, Working the Diaspora challenges readers to alter their conceptual frameworks about Africans by looking at them as workers who, through the course of the Atlantic slave trade and plantation labor, shaped the development of the Americas in significant ways. |
| african trade beads history: Empires of Medieval West Africa David C. Conrad, 2010 Explores empires of medieval west Africa. |
| african trade beads history: Interconnections Marilee Wood, 2011 |
| african trade beads history: Beading Inspiration Editors of Bead&Button Magazine, 2012-11-19 Beading Inspiration: How to Use Color in Jewelry Design is packed with new and traditional approaches to designing with color that will expand any beader’s current palette as well as increase creative confidence. Readers can explore design possibilities using nature, the color wheel, decorative art, and fabric for color inspiration. Includes 27 projects from Beading Basics: Color, a special issue from the editors of BeadStyle and Bead&Button magazines, plus six additional, brand-new designs. |
| african trade beads history: Speaking with Beads Jean Morris, Eleanor Preston-Whyte, 1994 The beadwork designs of the Zulu-speaking people of southern Africa have evolved from a craft tradition that developed over many generations. Carefully researched and filled with exciting photographs, 'Speaking with Beads' presents jewelry, ornamental headdresses, capes, aprons, beaded panels and other decorative forms. |
| african trade beads history: Beads, Body, and Soul Henry John Drewal, John Mason, 1998 The sights and sounds of the Yoruba cosmos are made manifest through the pervasive use of beads. This spectacular book represents a collaboration between art historian Henry John Drewal and Yoruba priest John Mason. From the forests of Africa a thousand years ago to the bustling cities of New York, Havana, and Salvador, today, Yoruba religion has used beads to convey the artistic spirit and deep connection to the other world that its practitioners feel. This illustrated volume traces the history of the beads, their use, and Yoruba aesthetics and artistry. . |
| african trade beads history: African History: A Very Short Introduction John Parker, Richard Rathbone, 2007-03-22 Intended for those interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history, this work looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented. It illustrates key themes in modern thinking about Africa's history with a range of historical examples. |
| african trade beads history: An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa Alexander Falconbridge, 1788 |
| african trade beads history: Sources and Methods in African History Toyin Falola, Christian Jennings, 2004 An overview of the ongoing methods used to understand African history. Spurred in part by the ongoing re-evaluation of sources and methods in research, African historiography in the past two decades has been characterized by the continued branching and increasing sophistication of methodologies and areas of specialization. The rate of incorporation of new sources and methods into African historical research shows no signs of slowing. This book is both a snapshot of current academic practice and an attempt to sort throughsome of the problems scholars face within this unfolding web of sources and methods. The book is divided into five sections, each of which begins with a short introduction by a distinguished Africanist scholar. The first sectiondeals with archaeological contributions to historical research. The second section examines the methodologies involved in deciphering historically accurate African ethnic identities from the records of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The third section mines old documentary sources for new historical perspectives. The fourth section deals with the method most often associated with African historians, that of drawing historical data from oral tradition. Thefifth section is devoted to essays that present innovative sources and methods for African historical research. Together, the essays in this cutting-edge volume represent the current state of the art in African historical research. Toyin Falola is the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities and University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Christian Jennings is a Doctoral Candidatein History at the University of Texas at Austin. |
| african trade beads history: Curiosities of Glass Making Apsley Pellatt, 1849 |
| african trade beads history: The Oxford Handbook of Cities in World History Peter Clark, 2013-02-14 In 2008 for the first time the majority of the planet's inhabitants lived in cities and towns. Becoming globally urban has been one of mankind's greatest collective achievements over time. Written by leading scholar, this is the first detailed survey of the world's cities and towns from ancient times to the present day. |
| african trade beads history: Hair Story Ayana Byrd, Lori Tharps, 2002-01-12 A history of the culture and politics behind the ever-changing state of black hair - from 15th century Africa to present-day US - this fascinating book is an entertaining look at the intersection of the personal, political and popular aspects of hair styles, tracing a unique aspect of black American history. An entertaining and concise survey... A book that successfully balances popular appeal with historical accuracy' - Publishers Weekly 'Impressive work of cultural history' - Book Page 'Comprehensive and colourful' - Essence' |
| african trade beads history: Royal Art of Benin Kate Ezra, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.), 1992 Tantalizing trivia. this Hitler, spoiling everything? |
| african trade beads history: Trade in the Ancient Sahara and Beyond D. J. Mattingly, V. Leitch, C. N. Duckworth, A. Cuénod, M. Sterry, F. Cole, 2017-11-30 Saharan trade has been much debated in modern times, but the main focus of interest remains the medieval and early modern periods, for which more abundant written sources survive. The pre-Islamic origins of Trans-Saharan trade have been hotly contested over the years, mainly due to a lack of evidence. Many of the key commodities of trade are largely invisible archaeologically, being either of high value like gold and ivory, or organic like slaves and textiles or consumable commodities like salt. However, new research on the Libyan people known as the Garamantes and on their trading partners in the Sudan and Mediterranean Africa requires us to revise our views substantially. In this volume experts re-assess the evidence for a range of goods, including beads, textiles, metalwork and glass, and use it to paint a much more dynamic picture, demonstrating that the pre-Islamic Sahara was a more connected region than previously thought. |
| african trade beads history: The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-trade by the British Parliament Thomas Clarkson, 1808 |
| african trade beads history: African Dominion Michael A. Gomez, 2018-01-01 A groundbreaking history that puts early and medieval West Africa in a global context Pick up almost any book on early and medieval world history and empire, and where do you find West Africa? On the periphery. This pioneering book, the first on this period of the region’s history in a generation, tells a different story. Interweaving political and social history and drawing on a rich array of sources, including Arabic manuscripts, oral histories, and recent archaeological findings, Michael Gomez unveils a new vision of how categories of ethnicity, race, gender, and caste emerged in Africa and in global history more generally. Scholars have long held that such distinctions arose during the colonial period, but Gomez shows they developed much earlier. Focusing on the Savannah and Sahel region, Gomez traces the exchange of ideas and influences with North Africa and the Central Islamic Lands by way of merchants, scholars, and pilgrims. Islam’s growth in West Africa, in tandem with intensifying commerce that included slaves, resulted in a series of political experiments unique to the region, culminating in the rise of empire. A major preoccupation was the question of who could be legally enslaved, which together with other factors led to the construction of new ideas about ethnicity, race, gender, and caste—long before colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade. Telling a radically new story about early Africa in global history, African Dominion is set to be the standard work on the subject for many years to come. |
| african trade beads history: The Venetian Glass Bead Kathy Fox, 2012-08-29 Millefiori, foil, Klimt, Miro – these are just a few of the colorful Venetian glass bead styles taking center stage in Kathy Fox’s illuminating book. Fully detailed and beautifully photographed, the step-by-step instructions for 24 modern jewelry projects using wire wrapping, bead crochet, knotting, stringing, and simple stitching will entice any reader into becoming a Venetian glass bead artist. She also shares the rich history and tradition behind this old-world art form, and provides useful tips for identifying authentic Venetian and Murano beads, guiding readers to informed buying decisions. |
| african trade beads history: Not Just for Show Daniella Bar-Yosef Mayer, Alice M. Choyke, 2017-08-31 Beads, beadwork, and personal ornaments are made of diverse materials such as shell, bone, stones, minerals, and composite materials. Their exploration from geographical and chronological settings around the world offers a glimpse at some of the cutting edge research within the fast growing field of personal ornaments in humanities’ past. Recent studies are based on a variety of analytical procedures that highlight humankind’s technological advances, exchange networks, mortuary practices, and symbol-laden beliefs. Papers discuss the social narratives behind bead and beadwork manufacture, use and disposal; the way beads work visually, audibly and even tactilely to cue wearers and audience to their social message(s). Understanding the entangled social and technical aspects of beads require a broad spectrum of technical and methodological approaches including the identification of the sources for the raw material of beads. These scientific approaches are also combined in some instances with experimentation to clarify the manner in which beads were produced and used in past societies. |
| african trade beads history: Beads from Gablonz Waltraud Neuwirth, 1994 |
| african trade beads history: Zulu Beadwork Eleanor Preston-Whyte, 2014 A brief introduction to the history of beadwork in KwaZulu Natal, followed bya description of contemporary beadwork made both for the market and forpersonal use. Once the domain of women, distinct regional styles of beadwork have developed, which were passed on fromgeneration to generation.Although these styles continue to be identifiable, particularly in massed dancingat national festivals, Zulu beadwork is increasingly eclectic and much of it isdirected at the fast growing external market which now provides beadworkerswith both a welcome source of personal income and a continuing stimulus topersonal creativity. Zulu Beadwork tells the fascinating and important story of thistransformation, and of the major players who were instrumental in bringing itabout. |
| african trade beads history: Beads of the World Peter Francis, 1999 The best and broadest reference on the origins and uses of beads available to date. Written to encourage collectors, it explores the importance of beads in their native settings in Europe, the Middle East, India, the Far East, Southeast Asia, North and South America and Africa. Beads of organic, stone, and glass materials are individually discussed, and newly revised values are provided to help the collector. |
| african trade beads history: The Illustrated Bead Bible Theresa Flores Geary, 2008 From Abalone to Zipper Stitch, this profusely illustrated guide covers a broad range of beading subjects and presents encyclopedic entries on historical background, technical details and cultural customs. |
| african trade beads history: The Cambridge History of Capitalism Larry Neal, Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2014-01-23 The first volume of The Cambridge History of Capitalism provides a comprehensive account of the evolution of capitalism from its earliest beginnings. Starting with its distant origins in ancient Babylon, successive chapters trace progression up to the 'Promised Land' of capitalism in America. Adopting a wide geographical coverage and comparative perspective, the international team of authors discuss the contributions of Greek, Roman, and Asian civilizations to the development of capitalism, as well as the Chinese, Indian and Arab empires. They determine what features of modern capitalism were present at each time and place, and why the various precursors of capitalism did not survive. Looking at the eventual success of medieval Europe and the examples of city-states in northern Italy and the Low Countries, the authors address how British mercantilism led to European imitations and American successes, and ultimately, how capitalism became global. |
| african trade beads history: Fluid Networks and Hegemonic Powers in the Western Indian Ocean Collectif, 2018-07-19 The present volume sets forth to analyse illustrative aspects of the deep-rooted immersion of the populations of the eastern coasts of Africa in the vast network of commercial, cultural and religious interactions that extend to the Middle-East and the Indian subcontinent, as well as the long-time involvement of various exogenous military, administrative and economic powers (Ottoman, Omani, Portuguese, Dutch, British, French and, more recently, European-Americans). |
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The 54 Countries in Africa in Alphabetical Order
May 14, 2025 · Here is the alphabetical list of the African country names with their capitals. We have also included the countries’ regions, the international standard for country codes (ISO …
Africa - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclope…
African independence movements had their first success in 1951, when Libya became the first former colony to become independent. Modern African history is full of revolutions and …
Ancient artefacts, adornment, and archaeology - Sabinet …
over 28 000 black trade glass beads originating from Egypt, which signified the great social importance of the deceased. The colours of the trade beads had symbolic meanings. White …
MAPUNGUBWE OBLATES CHAPTER 4 - University of Pretoria
Discovering the provenance of the beads will be a great advancement in recreating the pre-colonial history of South Africa and provide a better understanding of the origin of the African …
Iron Age Trade in the Eastern Transvaal, South Africa - JSTOR
distance trade where commodities such as metals, ivory, furs and rhino horns were exchanged for European goods, principally cloth and glass beads. Sources for trade in Iron Age times come …
OF SMALL THINGS REMEMBERED: BEADS, COWRIES, - JSTOR
Falola, ed., African History Before 1885, I, (Durham, N.C., 2000), 389-412; Paul Lovejoy, "The Impact of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa: A Review of the Literature," Journal of African …
Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Caribbean, …
Trade. Journal of African History 23:443-461. Harter, Pierre 1981 Notions N ouvelles sur les Perles Etirees a Chevrons ou Star Beads, ou Perla Rosetta en Afrique. Notes Africaines 169:2 …
OF SMALL THINGS REMEMBERED: BEADS, COWRIES, - JSTOR
Falola, ed., African History Before 1885, I, (Durham, N.C., 2000), 389-412; Paul Lovejoy, "The Impact of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa: A Review of the Literature," Journal of African …
Art in Ancient Ife, Birthplace of the Yoruba - Scholars at Harvard
Ife arts and the history of this important southwestern Nigerian center, key aspects of this code can now be discerned. In this article I explore how these arts both inform and are enriched by …
THE AFRICAN URBAN PAST: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON …
and dyeing), marked population diversity (though trade 9 and war) and major population shifts throughout the year (many inhabitants moving to distant agricultural fields for part of the rainy …
as Witnesses African-American Past: Social Identity …
done because African peoples were transported rapidly over a broad area within a fairly narrowtime span. Forexample, menandwomenborn onthe African continent or individuals …
The West African Ivory Trade during the Eighteenth Century: …
teenth century and trade relationships were of long standing, those who write about this trade emphasize the purchase of gold and slaves, but treat ivory purchases as an appendage. Like …
The Slave Trade in Seventeenth-Century Allada: A Revision
The history of European trade in the Bight of Benin is, in outline, well enough known. Trade was initially monopolized by the Portuguese, who first explored the coast east of the Volta, …
Bead Art from Africa The Mottas Collection - rietberg.ch
Both in the history of the African continent and global trade, the significance of glass beads was long underestimated. While the first humans made shell beads over 100,000 years ago, the …
Origins of Slave trade; Southern Africa: The Guns Slave Cycle …
The Atlantic Slave Trade.3rd ed. Belmont,CA:Wadsworth Cenage Learning,2011. Richards, W. A. "The Import of Firearms into West Africa in the Eighteenth Century." The Journal of African …
177 An interesting list of the beads used for trading
Nineteenth-Century Trade Beads in Tanganyika. By Miss J. R. Harding, Tsumeb, South-West Africa 177 An interesting list of the beads used for trading purposes in German East Africa …
STANDARDIZED ANALYSES OF GLASS TRADE BEADS FROM
STANDARDIZED ANALYSES OF GLASS TRADE BEADS FROM MGUNGUNDLOVU AND ONDINI, NINETEENTH CENTURY ZULU CAPITALS* N.J. VAN DER MERWE, S.J. …
Intra-regional Trade and African Economic Integration
The History of African Development ... For example, trade in North African salt, cloth, beads, and metal goods, exchanged for West African commodities such gold, ivory and slaves, pre-dated …
FROM COMMODITY TO COLONIAL CURRENCIES: A HISTORY …
The paper discusses an aspect of monetary history, which is one of the themes of African history that suffers serious neglect from scholars. It specifically examines the history of transitions of …
Grade 6 History Term 1 - WELCOME NAGENG PRIMARY …
and India through the East African harbours because of the city being so close to the . 2 . Limpopo River. They exchanged salt, cattle, fish, gold and iron, wood, freshwater snail and …
Guinea Rods and Voyage Iron - Economic History Society
2 Atlantic slave trade.5 Textiles often accounted for the greater part of the value of a ships cargo but they were never the sole component. African merchants insisted on a basket of goods. …
History of Stone Beads and Drilling: South Asia - Society for …
used to make stone beads were traded over vast distances and stone bead workshops were established at many small and large settlements to cater to the needs of local populations. …
c u r r e n t e v e n t s - JSTOR
AFRICAN TRADE BEADS A Comprehensive and Aesthetic Approach Picard African Trade Bead Museum, Carmel, CA PERMANENT COLLECTION Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, …
Blue Beads as African-American Cultural Symbols - JSTOR
trated by the use of blue beads by African Amer icans. Archaeological Data In plantation archaeology a systematic or syn thetic study of beads from African-American sites has yet to …
AA MASTER LIST OF EUROPEAN TRADE GOODS1
of European trade goods. So why did Africans import things they already made? "Largely" for motives of "prestige, fancy, changing taste, and a desire for variety."6 A related notion is that …
Notes on the Portuguese Cloth Trade in West Africa, 1480 …
Portugal's West African Cloth Trade, 1480 -1540: Primary Sources and Markets. NOTES ON THE PORTUGUESE CLOTH TRADE IN WEST AFRICA 625 of copper, textiles, cowries, glass …
THE LIVING MUSEUM - Bead Research
Beads were not cheap. The stand-ard of exchange during most of the early history of this country was "one made beaver," a made beaver being one that had been dried and readied for the …
History in the Making - University of North Georgia
route to Asia and the spice trade by sailing west. The Portuguese established trade networks along the coast of West Africa, trading for gold and, by 1441, for slaves. To facilitate trade, …
RESEARCHING THE WORLD’S BEADS: AN ANNOT ATED …
A brief article aiming to disprove some myths about beads in the Plains fur trade. 2015 From the Past: Indians of U.S. Spurn All Beads Except Italy’s. Beads: Journal of the
BEADS IN THE KROBO CULTURE - ir.knust.edu.gh
Beads are an integral part of the Krobo culture and have so many uses and symbolic meanings. But in recent times, the uses and symbolism of Krobo beads seem to be under emphasized. …
CHAPTER
Two North African Trade Routes, 400-1200 C.E. 1,000 miles Ghana turned hack the invaders, but many Muslims settled in West African towns and became merchants. Control of the trans …
The History and Aesthetics of African Jewelry
other places. Brass and copper are widely used in the Savannah region because they are in the heart of trade routes between north and west Africa. The people of the equatorial rain forest …
An Introduction to African History - University of Nairobi
The Indigenous Industries and Trade. Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Medieval Eastern and Central African States Medieval East African States ... their topics on …
Encyclopedia of africaN HISTORY and - Internet Archive
Feb 23, 2020 · Netherlands and the Atlantic Slave Trade 1621–1664. General Editor of Revised Edition R. Hunt Davis, Jr., Ph.D., is professor emeritus of history and African studies at the …
The French Slave Trade in East Africa (1721-1810) - JSTOR
The so-called Trade Wind beads of Indian manufacture were complete-ly replaced by Venetian glass beads by the eighteenth century, at the very latest, and may have been losing ground to …
Igbo-Ukwu and the Nile - JSTOR
KEY WORDS: Igbo-Ukwu; African Iron Age; non-ferrous metals; trade routes; bronze casting; glass beads. INTRODUCTION Igbo-Ukwu, in the forest zone of south-eastern Nigeria (Fig. 1), …
Chapter Beads and Other Adornment
African Burial Ground consisted of factory-made goods. The beads, buttons, cuff links, finger rings, and other ornaments found with the deceased would have been priced modestly in their …
Alternate History Of The United States (book) - x-plane.com
Alternate History Of The United States eBook Subscription Services Alternate History Of The United States Budget-Friendly Options 6. Navigating Alternate History Of The United States …
Grade 7 Social Sciences Worksheet - Edupstairs
Sahara trade. The last great African Empire, the Songhay, collapsed in 1591, when a Morroccan invasion finally succeeded, despite the loss of large numbers of soldiers in the desert. The …
Ndebele Dolls - Michael C. Carlos Museum
beads that a bride wears before marriage. In the past young girls received these dolls when they became initiated as women, as a fertility charm. Now Ndebele dolls are used mostly as …
INNOVATIVE BEADS FROM WASTE SACHET WATER …
INNOVATIVE BEADS FROM WASTE SACHET WATER PLASTICS, DYES AND RESIN ... 2.2 African Beads ... 2.2.1 Trade Beads ...
The Archaeology of African-American Slavery and Material …
Increased interest in exploring cultural diversity and empowering African Americans has led to extensive research in African-American history, mater-ial culture, folklore, and religion. …
Trans-Saharan Trade Routes - kleinersocialstudies.weebly.com
104 WORLD HISTORY MODERN: AP ... cotton cloth, gold, glass beads, and salt. Rulers also needed to protect both the trade routes and the areas where their currencies were ...
Mapungubwe (South Africa) No 1099 - UNESCO World …
Over 6500 glass beads have been recovered form the site indicating substantially increased trade with the coast. Many of these beads are tiny – much smaller than those usually found at sites …
The Sofala Coast (Mozambique) in the Century: between the …
Mozambique. African trade goods, including gold, were exported from these ports to the northern Swahili towns and through them to the Indian Ocean where they exchanged for coon, beads, …
Post-15th century European glass beads in southern Africa: …
beads is good and large hoards have been found in archaeological sites. However, European producers copied the shapes and colours of ancient beads, highly prized by the African …
THE AFRICAN URBAN PAST: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON …
and dyeing), marked population diversity (though trade 9 and war) and major population shifts throughout the year (many inhabitants moving to distant agricultural fields for part of the rainy …
Crafts Around the World Series - Africa: Paper Beads
AFRICA: PAPER BEADS TIME: 30-45 minutes or multiple days depending upon the interest to learn more. MATERIALS: Plain paper or cardstock for template Ruler Pencil, pen or markers …
Unravelling the glass trade bead sequence from Magoro Hill, …
rial cultural remains, such as glass beads, that could shed light on the ever-expanding impact of European trade and colonisation in northernmost South Africa. It soon became apparent, …
Abiotic Vs Biotic Factors Worksheet Answers [PDF]
Delve into the emotional tapestry woven by Crafted by in Experience Abiotic Vs Biotic Factors Worksheet Answers . This ebook, available for download in a PDF format ( *), is more than …
2 American Experiments 1521–1700 - Mrs. Taylor-Kadiri's …
which would profoundly affect African Americans and shape much of American history — had been obsolete in England for centuries, and articulating its logic required lawmakers to reverse …
