Tiny glass beads discovered in mountain caves about 25 miles from the shores of Lake Malawi in eastern-central Africa provide evidence that European trade in the continent’s hinterland was built on ...

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. Beads have served as a medium of ...

"This thesis takes a bead's eye view of eastern Africa and Indian Ocean trade, focusing particularly on the trade and trade networks that connected southern Africa to the rest of the world. It also ...

Beads made from ostrich eggshells, produced by people over the past 50,000 years, provide evidence for a long period of social connection between eastern and southern Africa, followed by isolation and ...

Beaded headpieces are a common sight in many African communities, each with its own cultural significance. Beads are commonly used to denote social status or marital status. In some cultures, the ...