"Akoso" beads are old powdered glass beads from Africa.  The origins and date of manufacture of these beads is still in dispute but for the most part, these have been dated to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

"Akoso" beads were made from glass (most likely old Venetian trade beads) which was ground to a fine powder.  The powder was then placed in a clay mold and fired in open air ovens until the powder glass fused into solid glass.  Many of these old "Akoso" beads have fragments of old Venetian "green hearts" imbedded in them.  I have seen them with fragments of old 7 layer Venetian chevons and other old beads as well.  Some of them have what appear to be "melted" white heart beads imbedded in them.

The larger and more sought after "Akoso" beads have a double "U" criss-cross pattern.  How this pattern was applied is another controversy.   Some experts say the pattern was pre-formed of molten glass and hot worked onto the beads, others say they were formed in the molds prior to the beads being made.

Most of the older African powder glass beads like "Akoso" and "Bodom" beads are still somewhat of a mystery and research on them continues today.  In Africa, these beads are held in the highest esteem and usually only worn for celebrations, funerals, and are often buried with the dea.  There is much African folklore about their magical powers as well. 

Good examples of "Akoso" beads are becoming rarer and rarer to find in the bead market today.  Fewer beads are coming in from Africa with the Bead Traders.  Most of the better "Akoso" beads in America are now in private collections but occasionally recent finds do show up.

To learn more about these intriquing beads please see Ornaments from the Past: Bead Studies after Beck (Bead Study Trust), Collectable Beads (Liu), The History of Beads (Dubin) and The Bead is Constant (Wilson).

To see examples of "Akoso" beads please visit our ebay store  Africa Direct

Copyright Africa Direct 2006