Powder glass beads have been made in the Krobo and surrounding regions of Ghana, Africa, for centuries.

For making the monochrome beads, imagine, if you will, and empty clay mold.  Then imagine powdered glass filling up the mold. A plant stem is usually put in the center of the mold to make the perforation.  These molds are put in open air ovens and subjected to very high heat until the powder glass fuses. The plant stem burns away during this process.  The molds are removed from the "ovens" and then the perforation hole is worked with an awl like device to make it larger and all the way through the bead.  The beads are then slightly polished by grinding, washed and then strung for market.

The "fancy" beads with intricate designs are much trickier and difficult to make.  The molds are slightly filled, then the designs are made against the inner sides of the mold, more powder glass put in, more designs.....etc.....just like sand painting.  Then they are fired in open air wood burning "ovens" and finished in a similar fashion as the monochrome beads.

To learn more about African powder glass beads read Ornaments from the Past: Bead Studies after Beck (Bead Study Trust)

To see some examples of Krobo beads please visit our ebay store Africa Direct

Images and text copyright  Africa Direct, Inc. 2006