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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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Bright Aqua Recycled Glass Beads (13mm) - The Bead Chest Sold out
$12.75 - $12.75
$12.75
$12.75
$12.75 - $12.75
$12.75

Bright Aqua Recycled Glass Beads (13mm)

Out of 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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$12.75 - $12.75
$12.75
$12.75
$12.75 - $12.75
$12.75
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Brown Vinyl Phono Record Beads (5mm) - The Bead Chest Sold out
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

Brown Vinyl Phono Record Beads (5mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful strand of African vinyl beads in a brown 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
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
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Light Sapphire Recycled Glass Beads (18mm) - The Bead Chest
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
$17.50
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50

Light Sapphire Recycled Glass Beads (18mm)

Only 6 left!

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

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$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
$17.50
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
Sky Blue Patterned Terracotta Beads - The Bead Chest Sold out
$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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Brass Filigree Globe Beads (22mm) - The Bead Chest
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$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
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$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50

Brass Filigree Globe Beads (22mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at these Brass "Globe" trade beads from Africa. Each bead is made individually through the "Lost Wax process" technique. The strand is ...

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$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
$22.50
$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
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Cobalt Blue Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

Cobalt Blue Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm)

Out of stock

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

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$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
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$9.00 - $9.00
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Lavender Recycled Glass Beads (12mm) - The Bead Chest
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$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
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$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00

Lavender Recycled Glass Beads (12mm)

Out of stock

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

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$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
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$10.00 - $10.00
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Translucent Teal Colodonte Beads - The Bead Chest
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$45.00 - $45.00
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$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00

Translucent Teal Colodonte Beads

Out of stock

Colodonte beads are a traditional oval-shaped bead made in Czechoslovakia during the mid 20th century. These beads were exported from Czechoslovaki...

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$45.00 - $45.00
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$45.00 - $45.00
$45.00
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Chevron Fused Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
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$15.00 - $15.00
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$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00

Chevron Fused Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads (14mm)

Out of stock

This uniquely patterned strand of rondelle beads is made using traditional methods used to create powder glass beads. The procedure for making the ...

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$15.00 - $15.00
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Ice Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads - The Bead Chest
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$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
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$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50

Ice Rondelle Recycled Glass Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at these beautiful rondelle shaped recycled glass beads. Powder glass beads are made by crushing glass to a fine powder and heating it ...

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$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
$12.50
$12.50 - $12.50
$12.50
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Mango Orange Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$15.00
$15.00 - $15.00
$15.00
$10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00

Mango Orange Vinyl Phono Record Beads (6mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at these unusual mango color African Phono Record beads. The strand measures 32" long with beads measuring approximately 6mm in diamete...

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$15.00
$15.00 - $15.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
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Green Vinyl Phono Record Beads (5mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
$9.00
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00

Green Vinyl Phono Record Beads (5mm)

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
$9.00 - $9.00
$9.00
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Weaved Cylinder Brass Filigree Beads (35x24mm) - The Bead Chest
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$24.50 - $24.50
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$24.50

Weaved Cylinder Brass Filigree Beads (35x24mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at these cylinder-shaped Ghana Brass Trade Beads from Africa. Each bead is made individually through the "Lost Wax process" technique. ...

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$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50
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$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50
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Jumbo Forest Green Swirl Recycled Glass Beads (23mm) - The Bead Chest
$35.00 - $35.00
$35.00
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$35.00 - $35.00
$35.00

Jumbo Forest Green Swirl Recycled Glass Beads (23mm)

in stock

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

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$35.00 - $35.00
$35.00
$35.00
$35.00 - $35.00
$35.00
Bicone Cage Brass Filigree Beads (15x16mm) - The Bead Chest
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$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
$22.50
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$22.50

Bicone Cage Brass Filigree Beads (15x16mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at these bicone-shaped Ghana Brass Trade Beads from Africa. Each bead is made individually through the "Lost Wax process" technique. Th...

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$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
$22.50
$22.50 - $22.50
$22.50
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Green & Yellow Chevron Beads (4mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$9.80 - $9.80
$9.80
$9.80
$9.80 - $9.80
$9.80

Green & Yellow Chevron Beads (4mm)

Out of stock

Checkout this nice strand of Glass Chevrons from Ghana, Africa. The strand measures 22-24" in length, with beads measuring approximately 4mm in dia...

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$9.80 - $9.80
$9.80
$9.80
$9.80 - $9.80
$9.80
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Groundhog Grey Bicone Recycled Glass Beads (18x16mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
$18.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00

Groundhog Grey Bicone Recycled Glass Beads (18x16mm)

Out of stock

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

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$18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
$18.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
Sold out
Dark Sapphire Recycled Glass Beads (18mm) - The Bead Chest
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50

Dark Sapphire Recycled Glass Beads (18mm)

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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$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
$16.50
$16.50 - $16.50
$16.50
Save 9% Save %
$65.00
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00

Bone White Glass Snake Beads (9mm)

Only 7 left!

This strand of interlocking Czech glass beads is called "SNAKE" trade beads because of its similarity to the snake vertebrae. They date back from ...

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$65.00
$65.00 - $65.00
$65.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
Save 9% Save %
Flat Woven Circle Brass Filigree Beads (20mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$22.00 - $22.00
$22.00
$22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
$22.00

Flat Woven Circle Brass Filigree Beads (20mm)

Out of stock

These Brass "Round Flat" trade beads are from Ghana, Africa. Each bead is made individually through the "Lost Wax process" technique. The strand is...

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$22.00 - $22.00
$22.00
$22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
$22.00
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Vintage Multicolor Phono Record Beads (10mm) - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
$17.50
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50

Vintage Multicolor Phono Record Beads (10mm)

Out of stock

Take a look at this nice strand of African beads made from Phono Records. The strand measures approximately 30" long with beads measuring 10mm in d...

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$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
$17.50
$17.50 - $17.50
$17.50
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Old Faceted Russian Blue Glass Trade Beads (4mm) - The Bead Chest
$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00
$139.00
$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00

Old Faceted Russian Blue Glass Trade Beads (5mm)

Only 8 left!

Among the most celebrated of faceted beads, Russian Blues derive their romantic name from their involvement in the Russian fur trade of the Pacific...

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$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00
$139.00
$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00
Super Jumbo Orange Bicone Recycled Glass Beads (35mm) - The Bead Chest
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00

Super Jumbo Orange Bicone Recycled Glass Beads (35mm)

Only 8 left!

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

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$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
Savannah Style Krobo Beads - The Bead Chest
Sold out
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00

Savannah Style Krobo Beads

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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$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 - $12.00
$12.00
Sold out