Handmade jewelry with antique glass beads from Ethiopia //
Traveled across at least 3 continents //
The antique red and blue Czech glass trade beads were originally made in Bohemia in the early 1900s and came to Africa by sea during colonial times, where they were used as a means of exchange and payment.
These Ethiopian wrap glass beads are also known as Tomato Trade Beads/ Tomato Beads or Pigeon Egg Beads/ Pigeon Egg Beads. Their nicknames come from their shape, which is very similar to the eggs of small wild birds. Early Czech trade beads were predominantly an opaque red or burnt orange color, so they are sometimes referred to as tomato beads.
One of the most fascinating mysteries of these pearls is how they have survived a hundred or more years of wear and travel across at least three continents. Another mystery is who wore them before us and who will wear them next .
