Those who have followed our adventures last in construction have seen the good omens, who hailed the work begins .
In recent weeks, findings beads, market, soil, by neighbors ...
Beads series
Some of these beads are old and come from Murano. They are called millefiori or thousand flowers. This process is very very old.
From the 15th century, these beads are mass produced, they serve as currency exchange (trade beads), in trade between Europe and Africa.
addition to their monetary function, they also and this is something often forgotten, a symbolic and social hierarchy. Here, a reflective piece around this theme.
The Millefiori or a thousand flowers or Venetian millefiori beads
It is from the twelfth century that the Republic of Venice became the center of glassmaking. She had indeed many advantages, particularly in terms of maritime activity.
In 1490, authorities forced glassmakers to leave Venice to Murano Island, because of fire risks that their activities posed to the city .
Craftsmen are strongly influenced by the complex glass objects dating from ancient Egyptian and Roman. They reinvent the process of drawing hollow glass cane that allows the mass production of beads of various sizes.
a process still unknown
The drawing is to set a hollow globe of molten glass on two metal plates fitted stems. Two men, each holding a rod moving in opposite directions to stretch the glass. The initial air bubble causes a hole stretching along the entire length of the tube which is then fragmented into rods and beads.
The beads are finally finished by heat treatment or grinding. Currently, the glassmakers of Murano are still using manufacturing methods unchanged for centuries, which still remain secret. Information is known is that they require 15 separate steps to produce millefiori.
In Ghana
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| Krobo beads market in Koforidua |
Ghana produces still molten glass beads called Krobo.
The Krobo are among the manufacturers of beads oldest and most famous since many beads are made according to ancient traditions, Ghana.
They serve to illustrate and represent the wealth and social status of each pearl has a name and its meaning: Blue: tenderness, yellow: maturity and prosperity, the white: purity and virginity. Some pearls are used for prophylaxis or treatment of diseases, as well as protection against snakebite, the witches, evil spirits and, in general, against the evil eye.
A large pearl market takes place every Thursday at Koforidua (Eastern Region, Ghana).
From beads found in the vicinity, I experimented with editing, mixing beads Millefiori beads, Niger and Morocco.
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| Millefiori old, surrounded by pearls of Niger |
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| Millefiori Beads, Niger and Morocco |
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| Millefiori beads old and the Niger |
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| Millefiori beads, Morocco and Niger |
Africa white (so that the SSA called the Maghreb) and black together!
To further
Books
The Roziere MF: Pearl of Africa .
Angela Fischer : sumptuous Africa.
History of Beads by Lois Sherr Dubin ,
Beads of the World Peter Francis
Magical Ancient Beads of James.Allen and S . Adhyatma.
sites
For a history of pearls, is by here
Sites P. Francis and James Allen . 's blog Venustic African
African Trade Beads is an interesting site selling (in French and English), much explanation .
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