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Ghana Beads

Ghana is home to the largest bead markets in Africa. Below are African beads imported from Ghana. Trade beads have a long history in the West African country of Ghana. In fact, Ghana beads were once a form of national currency and were used to purchase many different kinds of goods including alcohol, slaves, and even textiles. The production of beads in Ghana was first documented over 200 years ago however evidence of bead production extends over two thousand years. Due to their use in trade, beads in Ghana may have a wide variety of origins that trace ancient and modern trade routes including Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Modern Ghana overlaps with the terrain of the ancient Ghana Empire.

A number of bead varieties are locally produced in Ghana. These include recycled glass beads that are made from empty glass bottles, seashell beads, as well as Krobo beads. The manufacturing of recycled beads is one way that the people of Ghana use traditional inspiration to bring new uses to old materials. The process involves breaking used bottles in pieces that are then melted and shaped using clay molds designed with the desired shape in mind. Beads may be washed in sand and then painted with designs.

Similarly, Ghana is one of the most important countries for the manufacture of Krobo beads. This name Krobo, is derived from the fact that a great deal of the powdered glass beads in Ghana are produced Krobo artisans. However craftsmen from the Ashanti ethnic group are also heavily involved in this production. Beads continue to play a role in traditional Krobo culture where they are used for many different ceremonies such as birth, marriage, death, and coming of age rituals such as Dipo where girls where a large number of beads and perform special dances. African beads are also used as a symbol of status and are worn by community leaders and chiefs.

In recent years, there has been a revival in the use of trade beads in Ghana so much so that young people are wearing them as an expression of pride in African tradition. Interestingly, the different colors that are used in the design of beads have different symbolism such as blue that represents purity, white that represents fertility, and gold that represents wealth.

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Handmade White Metal Coil Lantern Beads - The Bead Chest
$16.00 - $16.00
$16.00
$16.00
$16.00 - $16.00
$16.00

Handmade White Metal Coil Lantern Beads

in stock

Take a look at this strand of Handmade White Metal Wire Beads from Africa. The strand is approximately 25" long, with beads measuring 4mm in lengt...

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$16.00 - $16.00
$16.00
$16.00
$16.00 - $16.00
$16.00
Navy Blue White Heart Beads (3mm) - The Bead Chest Sold out
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
$8.00
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00

Navy Blue White Heart Beads (3mm)

Out of stock

Checkout this beautiful strand of blue color white heart beads! White hearts derive their name from the inner core of opaque white glass that is co...

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$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
$8.00
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
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Root Beer Brown Recycled Glass Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00

Root Beer Brown Recycled Glass Beads (14mm)

in stock

The process for making recycled glass beads is multi-step. The major parts of this process are crushing glass into small pieces that can then be pu...

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$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
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$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
Light Green Recycled Glass Beads (11mm) - The Bead Chest
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
$10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00

Light Green Recycled Glass Beads (11mm)

in stock

Recycled glass beads are a type of indigenously produced African bead from Ghana West Africa. These beautiful green color recycled beads are made u...

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$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
$10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
Orange Phono Record Vinyl Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00

Orange Phono Record Vinyl Beads (8mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of African vinyl beads orange color. Beads such as these are found in Ghana and Nigeria where they are sometim...

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$12.00 - $12.00
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$12.00 - $12.00
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Crimson Red Ghana Glass Beads (2 Strands) - The Bead Chest
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

Crimson Red Ghana Glass Beads (2 Strands)

in stock

Two strands of red color small glass beads from Africa. Each bead measures approximately 4mm in diameter by 3mm in length. Some variation in indivi...

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$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
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$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
Small Watermelon Green Chevron Beads - The Bead Chest
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$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00

Small Watermelon Green Chevron Beads

Out of stock

Checkout this beautiful strand of authentic glass chevrons from Ghana, Africa. The strand measures 24 inches in length, with beads measuring approx...

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$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
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$65.00 - $65.00
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White Round Sandcast Beads (9mm) - The Bead Chest
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

White Round Sandcast Beads (9mm)

Only 9 left!

These interesting White Sandcast beads are handmade in Ghana, Africa. They're made using traditional methods involving heating powdered glass. Once...

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$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
Leopard Krobo Beads (20x10mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00

Leopard Krobo Beads (20x10mm)

Out of stock

Fun and colorful, these Krobo Glass Beads come from Ghana in West Africa. In this traditional art form, glass is crushed into a fine powder and the...

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$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
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Olive Swirl Recycled Glass Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00

Olive Swirl Recycled Glass Beads (14mm)

in stock

These great beads are made by the Krobo People of Ghana, Africa. Powder glass beads are made by crushing glass to a fine powder and heating it so t...

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$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
5 Pack: Clear Aqua Recycled Glass Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00
$45.00
$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00

5 Pack: Clear Aqua Recycled Glass Beads (14mm)

in stock

These great beads are made by the Krobo People of Ghana, Africa. Powder glass beads are made by crushing glass to a fine powder and heating it so t...

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$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00
$45.00
$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00
Peach Orange Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

Peach Orange Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of peach colored African vinyl beads. Beads such as these are found in Ghana and Nigeria where they are someti...

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$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
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Green Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$3.99
$3.99 - $3.99
$3.99

Green Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of African vinyl beads in a green color. Beads such as these are found in Ghana and Nigeria where they are som...

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$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$3.99
$3.99 - $3.99
$3.99
Sold out
Charcoal Black Recycled Glass Beads (18mm) - The Bead Chest
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50

Charcoal Black Recycled Glass Beads (18mm)

in stock

Recycled glass beads are a type of indigenously produced African bead from Ghana West Africa. These beautiful purple recycled beads are made using ...

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$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
Light Green Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (Smooth) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
$12.50
$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50

Light Green Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (Smooth)

Out of stock

Recycled glass beads are a type of indigenously produced African bead from Ghana West Africa. These beautiful green color recycled beads are made u...

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$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
$12.50
$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
Sold out
Black & Yellow Fused Recycled Glass Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00

Black & Yellow Fused Recycled Glass Beads (14mm)

Only 1 left!

Recycled glass beads are a type of indigenously produced African bead from Ghana West Africa. These beautiful red recycled beads are made using an ...

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$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
Black Skunk Beads (10mm) - The Bead Chest
$25.00 - $25.00
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00 - $25.00
$25.00

Black Skunk Beads (10mm)

in stock

A beautiful strand of black and white skunk beads, made to resemble the older Eye beads produced in Italy in the 1800 early 1900. The idea of the ...

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$25.00 - $25.00
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00 - $25.00
$25.00
Jumbo Groundhog Grey Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (20mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$29.00
$29.00 - $29.00
$29.00
$23.00
$23.00 - $23.00
$23.00

Jumbo Groundhog Grey Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (20mm)

Out of stock

These beautiful recycled glass beads are handmade by artisans in the West African country of Ghana. Each bead is individually handcrafted through a...

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$29.00
$29.00 - $29.00
$29.00
$23.00
$23.00 - $23.00
$23.00
Sold out
Vintage Black Phono Record Vinyl Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
$18.00
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50

Vintage Black Phono Record Vinyl Beads (8mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this nice vintage strand of African beads made from Phono Records. Each strand measures approximately 28-32" long with beads measuri...

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$18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
$18.00
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
Sold out
Old Black Phono Record Vintage Vinyl Beads (4mm) - The Bead Chest
$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00
$15.00
$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00

Old Black Phono Record Vintage Vinyl Beads (4mm)

in stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of African vinyl beads in a black color. Beads such as these are found in Ghana and Nigeria where they are som...

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$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00
$15.00
$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00
Turquoise Vinyl Phono Record Beads (10mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00

Turquoise Vinyl Phono Record Beads (10mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of African vinyl beads in a green color. Beads such as these are found in Ghana and Nigeria where they are som...

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$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
Sold out
Jumbo Dark Brown Recycled Glass Beads (23mm) - The Bead Chest
$27.00 - $27.00
$27.00
$27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
$27.00

Jumbo Dark Brown Recycled Glass Beads (23mm)

in stock

Take a look at this exceptionally large strand of jumbo-sized recycled glass beads. Large beads such as these are hard to find and even harder to f...

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$27.00 - $27.00
$27.00
$27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
$27.00
Mixed Kente Krobo Beads (18mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$21.50 - $21.50
$21.50
$21.50
$21.50 - $21.50
$21.50

Mixed Kente Krobo Beads (18mm)

Out of stock

A beautiful strand of powder glass African beads, made by the people of Krobo Mountain in Ghana, West Africa. Many designs of Krobo beads are patte...

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$21.50 - $21.50
$21.50
$21.50
$21.50 - $21.50
$21.50
Sold out
Super Jumbo Green Recycled Glass Beads (35mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00

Super Jumbo Green Recycled Glass Beads (35mm)

Out of stock

We love the deep foresty and green tones of these Jumbo Recycled Glass Beads. If you're looking to make a bold statement these Jumbo Artisan Recycl...

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$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
Sold out