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Mixed Krobo Glass and Brass Beads – Recycled African Trade Beads
Mixed Krobo Glass and Brass Beads – Recycled African Trade Beads
Handmade Mixed African Trade Beads – Krobo Glass & Ashanti Brass
This beautiful strand of mixed African trade beads combines Krobo glass beads and Ashanti lost wax brass beads, all handcrafted in Ghana, West Africa. Inspired by vintage Venetian fancy beads, these vibrant creations bring a bold, timeless elegance to your beadwork or jewelry collection.
- Strand length: 25 3/4" (65 cm)
- Bead size: 8–14 mm in diameter
- Bead materials: Recycled glass & brass
Each Krobo bead is skillfully handmade by the Krobo people of Ghana using a centuries-old method. Discarded glass bottles and windowpanes are crushed into powder and poured into clay molds. The beads are fired in a kiln, then hand-painted and fired again, creating beautiful patterns and vibrant colors.
The accompanying brass beads are crafted in the Ashanti region (Kumasi, Ghana) using the ancient lost wax casting technique. For every individual bead, a detailed wax mold is sculpted and coated in clay. Once fired, the wax melts away, and molten brass is poured into the cavity. The result is a one-of-a-kind bead, as the mold must be broken to retrieve it no two are ever the same.
These Ghana glass and brass beads are not just decorative they are part of a living tradition of trade and artistry in West Africa. Historically used as a medium of exchange, African trade beads hold immense cultural and economic importance, symbolizing craftsmanship, trade relationships, and heritage throughout the continent.
Whether for collecting, jewelry-making, or honoring African tradition, these recycled glass and brass beads are both sustainable and deeply meaningful.
➡️ View more New African Krobo Glass Beads at TribalGH
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