Origins of African Trade Beads

African trade beads owe their unique creation towas rushing to produce them and siphon off the
the need of traders plying the route betweenmaximum amount of African resources, the
Africa and Europe and the affinity of Africans forleading producers were artisans from the city of
beads of all types. European merchants createdVenice that is famous for its rare and unique
these trade beads to barter items of value fromglasswork even now. Other leading African trade
African people. Some of the items found in Africabeads producing centers of Europe include
that were particularly coveted by the EuropeansBohemia and the Netherlands. The most popular
include gold, ivory and palm oil amongst othertype of African slave beads is the millefiore form
region specific things.that can be translated into the 'thousand flower'.
The history of African trade beads can be tracedIn terms of the current day and age, African
back to the 15th century, when Portuguesetrade beads have become items that have a lot
traders reached West Africa and discovered thatof value owing to their exotic nature and intriguing
the people of Africa attached a lot of importancehistory. As per some historians, the African slave
to beads made from a variety of items such asbeads became popular in the western countries
iron, gold, ivory, bone, organic things etc.during the decade of 1960 which saw a lot of
Simultaneously, the European traders alsopeople from the US and Europe traveling to
discovered that the land was full of resourcesAfrica and discovering the beauty and value of
that Europe was in desperate need of.these African slave beads. Resultantly, jewelry
Resultantly, the shrewd business minds of themade from African slave beads was transported
traders decided to use beads made from glass asback to the western world where it immediately
leverage to barter goods and raw materials withcaptured the fancy of the majority of consumers.
Africans. The material of glass was picked outFurthermore, it should be noted that there was
primarily because the continent of Africa was stillno standard production of African trade beads
to discover glass working techniques, and itsand they were produced on the basis of particular
people were found to be in awe of the exquisitedemands instead. This has resulted in individual
glass beads that the Europeans showed up with.African trade beads items that draw their value
An alternate name for these items is slave beadsfrom the fact that there is no other item like it.
as they were used to barter slaves in addition toTherefore, the originality and the unique
basic goods and services. These African slaveworkmanship are the driving force behind jewelry
beads were also known as aggry beads.made of these famous African beads becoming
During those times, although the whole of Europeextremely coveted in the present day.