Beadwork

African Influences

Small and beautiful, beads are one of the most versatile and expressive art mediums. For thousands of years across the continent of Africa, beads were prestigious trade items that were used in masquerades, shrines and royal regalia and as adornment for the body. In each of these contexts, beads have had a primary role in communicating complex ideas about religion, aesthetics, and social and political status. 

Source