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Clay Beads

  • Dogon Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Round) - The Bead Chest
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    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50

    Dogon Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Round)

    Out of stock

    This beautiful strand of Mali Spindle Whorl beads is handmade with clay and individually inscribed. It is made by the Dogon tribe of Mali. Designs...

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    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
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  • South African Rondelle Natural Clay Beads - The Bead Chest
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    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00

    South African Rondelle Natural Clay Beads

    Out of stock

    These African clay beads were made by independent artisans in South Africa. After shaping the beads, traditional motifs and patterns are oftentimes...

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    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
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  • Light Green Egyptian Scarab Beads (Set of 5) - The Bead Chest
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    $1.99 - $1.99
    $1.99
    $1.99
    $1.99 - $1.99
    $1.99

    Light Green Egyptian Scarab Beads (Set of 5)

    Out of stock

    Take a moment to appreciate these stunning Light Green Egyptian Scarab Beads. These Scarab Beads can make for a truly unique accent piece on bracel...

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    $1.99 - $1.99
    $1.99
    $1.99
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    $1.99
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  • Sky Blue Patterned Terracotta Beads - The Bead Chest
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    $30.00 - $30.00
    $30.00
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    $30.00

    Sky Blue Patterned Terracotta Beads

    Out of stock

    Amazing strand of authentic Sky Blue Terracotta Clay Beads from Ghana. These great strands include a medley of shapes including round, bicone, cyli...

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    $30.00 - $30.00
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  • Circular Black Mali Clay Beads (10x20mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $45.00
    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
    $34.00
    $34.00 - $34.00
    $34.00

    Circular Black Mali Clay Beads (10x20mm)

    Out of stock

    Take a look at this great strand of black colored terracotta beads from Mali. Beautifully hand crafted, each bead may show slight variation in size...

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    $45.00
    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
    $34.00
    $34.00 - $34.00
    $34.00
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  • Black Terracotta Mali Clay Medallions (17x42mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $45.00 - $45.00
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    Black Terracotta Mali Clay Medallions (17x42mm)

    Out of stock

    This beautiful strand of Mali Medallion terracotta beads is made with clay and each bead is individually inscribed with traditional motifs. It is ...

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    $45.00 - $45.00
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  • Teal Moroccan Pottery Beads (Chunk) - The Bead Chest
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    $12.00 - $12.00
    $12.00
    $12.00
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    $12.00

    Teal Moroccan Pottery Beads (Chunk)

    Out of stock

    These teal color pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slightly bu...

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    $12.00 - $12.00
    $12.00
    $12.00
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    $12.00
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  • Turquoise Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rectangle) - The Bead Chest
    $8.50 - $8.50
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    $8.50

    Turquoise Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rectangle)

    in stock

    These turquoise color pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slight...

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    $8.50 - $8.50
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  • Round Black Mali Clay Beads (25mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $45.00 - $45.00
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    Round Black Mali Clay Beads (25mm)

    Out of stock

    Take a look at this great strand of black colored terracotta beads from Mali. Beautifully hand crafted, each bead may show slight variation in size...

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    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
    $45.00
    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
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  • Round Black Mali Clay Beads (22mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00
    $35.00
    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00

    Round Black Mali Clay Beads (22mm)

    Out of stock

    Take a look at this great strand of black colored terracotta beads from Mali. Beautifully hand crafted, each bead may show slight variation in size...

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    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00
    $35.00
    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00
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  • South African Round Natural Clay Beads (Tribal) - The Bead Chest
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    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00

    South African Round Natural Clay Beads (Tribal)

    Out of stock

    These African clay beads were made by independent artisans in South Africa. After shaping the beads, traditional motifs and patterns are oftentimes...

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    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00
    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
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  • Natural Terracotta Imprinted Mali Beads (10mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $16.00 - $16.00
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    Natural Terracotta Imprinted Mali Beads (10mm)

    Out of stock

    Amazing strand of Natural Terracotta beads. Beautifully hand crafted, each bead may show slight variation in size and pattern however, the size of ...

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    $16.00 - $16.00
    $16.00
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  • Black Terracotta Mali Clay Gumdrop Beads (20mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $16.00 - $16.00
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    Black Terracotta Mali Clay Gumdrop Beads (20mm)

    Out of stock

    Amazing strand of natural color terracotta beads. Beautifully handcrafted, each of these unusual bead may show slight variation in size and pattern...

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    $16.00 - $16.00
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  • Crimson Red Patterned Terracotta Beads - The Bead Chest
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    $30.00 - $30.00
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    $30.00

    Crimson Red Patterned Terracotta Beads

    Out of stock

    Amazing strand of authentic Red Terracotta Clay Beads from Ghana. These great strands include a medley of shapes including round, bicone, cylinder,...

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    $30.00 - $30.00
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  • Serpentine Green Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rondelle) - The Bead Chest
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    $17.00 - $17.00
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    $17.00

    Serpentine Green Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rondelle)

    Out of stock

    These serpentine green pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary sligh...

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    $17.00 - $17.00
    $17.00
    $17.00
    $17.00 - $17.00
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  • Amazonite Moroccan Pottery Beads (Chunk) - The Bead Chest
    $12.00 - $12.00
    $12.00
    $12.00
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    $12.00

    Amazonite Moroccan Pottery Beads (Chunk)

    in stock

    These Amazonite green pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slight...

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    $12.00 - $12.00
    $12.00
    $12.00
    $12.00 - $12.00
    $12.00
  • Black Terracotta Malli Clay Round Beads (22mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00
    $35.00
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    $35.00

    Black Terracotta Malli Clay Round Beads (22mm)

    Out of stock

    Take a look at this nice strand of Black Terracotta beads from Mali in West Africa. The beads have been individually decorated by hand with a tradi...

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    $35.00 - $35.00
    $35.00
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  • Deep Blue Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rectangle) - The Bead Chest
    $8.50 - $8.50
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    $8.50

    Deep Blue Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rectangle)

    Only 8 left!

    These deep blue pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slightly but...

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    $8.50 - $8.50
    $8.50
    $8.50
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    $8.50
  • Black Moroccan Pottery Beads (Round - 16mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $14.00 - $14.00
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    Black Moroccan Pottery Beads (Round - 16mm)

    Out of stock

    These black pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slightly but mea...

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    $14.00 - $14.00
    $14.00
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  • Rouge Red Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rondelle) - The Bead Chest
    $14.00 - $14.00
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    $14.00

    Rouge Red Moroccan Pottery Beads (Rondelle)

    in stock

    These red pottery beads are characteristic of Berber jewelry from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Individual bead sizes may vary slightly but measu...

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    $14.00 - $14.00
    $14.00
    $14.00
    $14.00 - $14.00
    $14.00
  • Dogon Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Bicone) - The Bead Chest
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    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
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    $26.50

    Dogon Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Bicone)

    Out of stock

    This beautiful strand of Mali Spindle Whorl beads is handmade with clay and individually inscribed. It is made by the Dogon tribe of Mali. Design...

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    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50
    $26.50 - $26.50
    $26.50
    Sold out
  • Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Small Gumdrop) - The Bead Chest
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    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
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    $45.00

    Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Small Gumdrop)

    Out of stock

    This beautiful strand of Mali Spindle Whorl beads is handmade with clay and individually inscribed. It is made by the Dogon tribe of Mali. Designs ...

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    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
    $45.00
    $45.00 - $45.00
    $45.00
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  • Bright Multicolor Patterned Terracotta Beads (10-15mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $29.00
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    $23.00
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    $23.00

    Bright Multicolor Patterned Terracotta Beads (10-15mm)

    in stock

    Amazing multicolor strand of whimsical Terracotta Clay Beads. These great strands include a medley of shapes including round, bicone, cylinder, and...

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    $29.00
    $29.00 - $29.00
    $29.00
    $23.00
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    Save 21% Save %
  • Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Bicone) - The Bead Chest
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    $64.00 - $64.00
    $64.00
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    $64.00

    Mali Clay Spindle Beads (Bicone)

    Out of stock

    This beautiful strand of Mali Spindle Whorl beads is handmade with clay and individually inscribed. It is made by the Dogon tribe of Mali. A few b...

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    $64.00 - $64.00
    $64.00
    $64.00
    $64.00 - $64.00
    $64.00
    Sold out
African Clay Beads are among the earliest bead formats known to man, many archeological finds pre-dating the famous shell hoard of the Blombus Cave on Africa's Southern Cape by as much as 20,000 years. But while tribes in the South and West of Africa have a long affiliation with clay bead production, it is the Dogon tribes of Bandiagara in Mali who are modernly revered for their beautiful black clay creations. Distinguished by their charcoal coloration and elaborate milgrain-like detailing, Mali Clay Spindle Whorl Beads were originally intended for use as currency among trans-Saharan merchants. Their value to merchants was determined by their coloration – the darker the beads, the higher their net worth.

Clay Beads from Mali are distinguishable from other beads in Africa by their coloration. Most natural clay found in Africa is of a reddish-brown hue, however, in the cliffs of Bandiagara, it is near black. Modern crafters often manipulate the hue by adding ground ash, charcoal and the remnants of other pottery or china to the ground down clay mixture. Water, oil and tree gum are added to the mixture to help it adhere during firing, and the clay is then fashioned into a conical spindle whorl shape. Designs are carved into the surface using a hacksaw blade or shard of glass, and the beads are then fired in an open charcoal brazier. Once cool, they are immersed in a whitewash several times before they are left to dry. Excess paint is gently rubbed off using a cloth, leaving just the carved areas decorated. Red clay beads produced by the Zarma people are made using a very similar technique, but although beautiful, they aren't nearly as popular as their black counterparts.