What exactly is a bead

A bead is a hard little ball with a small hole throughago people wore these beads because they
it. Beads are made of pretty materials and arethought they were magic charms that would
usually used as jewelry, or to ornament clothing.keep the wearer from getting sick, and would
A bead is a hard little ball with a small hole throughalso keep evil spirits away.
it. A string is put through the hole and manyBeads like that are a little bit like the good luck
beads are fastened together on the same string.charms that people wear now. About five
Beads are made of pretty materials and arehundred years ago, the glassworkers of Venice,
usually used as jewelry, or to ornament clothing.Italy, made beautiful glass beads in many colors
But the word bead comes from an Old Englishand shapes. Most glass beads are now made by
word, bede, which meant "pray." In the Catholicmachine. More expensive beads are made out of
Church and in some other churches, people countpearls, or amber, or semiprecious stones. Tiny
little beads on a string as they pray. A string ofglass beads are still sewed on women's clothing.
beads used in praying is called a rosary.This is called "beading." Larger glass beads are
Beads were useful in ancient times in the abacus,made into necklaces or bracelets. The most
a device for counting. (There is an article on thefamous beads in the history of America were
ABACUS.) Beads made out of shells, ivory, bonesmade out of glass. They were the beads that
and stones have been found in the tombs andPeter Minuit used in 1626 to buy all of Manhattan
graves of people who lived thousands of yearsIsland from the Indians. These beads were worth
ago, before history was written down. Veryonly $24, but to the Indians they were priceless.
ancient "eye-beads" have been found in Asia. Long