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Wood Beads

With their warm colors and striking natural inclusions, its hardly surprising that African Wood Beads were once a coveted format of currency among the indigenous tribes of Africa. The exchange of wooden beads for goods can be traced back to the Neolithic era in 10000 B.C when humans pioneered crop cultivation, and began to farm land for both self sufficiency and profit. According to historian Lois Dubin, wooden beads were also prized among the Neolithic Egyptians, with many burying great hoards alongside their dead believing that money would aid them in the afterlife. For many tribes, Wood Beads are an ecological preference over newer materials such as glass and plastic. The Maasai people of Kenya are particularly renowned for their ethical approach, and still prefer to use wooden beads for their elaborate tiered collars and exuberant pendants which distinguish them from other clans. Wooden Heishi Beads are among the earliest known formats to be produced for adornment. Both the Surma of Ethiopia and the Dogon tribes of Mali reproduced shell Heishi Beads from soft woods and bamboo, strings of which would often be exchanged with other clans for weaponry and animals. Distinguished by its reddish-brown hue and beautiful natural inclusions, Rosewood has become a particularly popular material for bead-craft among tribes in Ghana, the Congo and Cameroon. Usually round or oval in shape, Rosewood Beads are often used to create strings of Prayer Beads, or as accents for necklaces made of lighter woods, such as Olive and Palm. Known for their hardiness and durability, Olive Wood Beads have proven particularly popular for African Rosaries, and you'll find many are carved with symbols that have some kind of religious connotation. Palm Wood Beads, made from the timber of coconut bearing palm trees, are also becoming increasingly popular in the West. A delicious golden hue with flecks of dark brown, they make for beautiful focal spacers for Bohemian necklaces and chunky African bracelets!

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Gold Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest Sold out
$5.99 - $5.99
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$5.99

Gold Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

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These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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Cream Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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Cream Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

in stock

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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White Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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$5.99

White Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

in stock

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$5.99 - $5.99
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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads (12mm) - The Bead Chest
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00

Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads (12mm)

in stock

We are captivated by these striking natural seed Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads. These Prayer Beads come to us all the way from the hills and mountain...

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$14.00 - $14.00
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$14.00
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Dark Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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Dark Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

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These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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Light Grey Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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Light Grey Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

in stock

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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Silver Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
$5.99 - $5.99
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Silver Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

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These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$18.50 - $18.50
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$18.50
$18.50 - $18.50
$18.50

Vintage Coconut Shell Heishi Beads (10-15mm)

in stock

Beautiful strand of heishi beads made from the shell of a coconut. The size of beads may vary slightly from strand to strand. If you have very spec...

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$18.50 - $18.50
$18.50
$18.50
$18.50 - $18.50
$18.50
Rondelle Ebony Wood Beads (12mm) - The Bead Chest
$24.00 - $24.00
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$24.00

Rondelle Ebony Wood Beads (12mm)

in stock

These beautiful Rondelle Ebony Mali Prayer Beads measure approximately 12mm in diameter and make the perfect accent to any jewelry project. Made of...

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$24.00 - $24.00
$24.00
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$24.00 - $24.00
$24.00
Cherry Red Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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Cherry Red Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

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These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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Grey Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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$5.99

Grey Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

in stock

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
$5.99
$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
Light Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
$5.99 - $5.99
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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99

Light Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

Only 4 left!

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
$5.99
$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
$5.99 - $5.99
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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99

Brown Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

Only 10 left!

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
$5.99
$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
Black Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
$5.99 - $5.99
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$5.99

Black Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

in stock

These wooden disk beads are made of top quality natural wood and are perfect for your jewelry and craft projects. Available in a variety of finishe...

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$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
$5.99
$5.99 - $5.99
$5.99
Black Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads (12mm) - The Bead Chest
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00

Black Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads (12mm)

in stock

Take a moment to admire these incredible Black Rudraksha Mala Prayer Beads. These handmade Prayer Beads are often used as a spiritual tool to assis...

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$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
Carved Cube Natural Seed Beads (12mm) - The Bead Chest
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
$8.00
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00

Carved Cube Natural Seed Beads (12mm)

in stock

These brown & beige color cube beads are made from natural seeds. The slight variations in colors and shape of the beads will make them a fun a...

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$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
$8.00
$8.00 - $8.00
$8.00
Ebony Mali Prayer Beads (8x13mm) - The Bead Chest
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$29.00
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$29.00
$27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
$27.00

Ebony Mali Prayer Beads (8x13mm)

Out of stock

Great strand of prayer beads from Mali. These ebony wood beads have been individually inlaid with metal around the border. Each strand may show som...

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$29.00
$29.00 - $29.00
$29.00
$27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
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Pacific Recycled Wood Beads (13mm) - The Bead Chest
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Pacific Recycled Wood Beads (13mm)

Out of stock

These one-of-a-kind recycled wood beads are made by shredding and compacting reclaimed wood. Highly eco-friendly, this beautiful beads are great fo...

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$18.00 - $18.00
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$18.00 - $18.00
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Carved Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (13mm) - The Bead Chest
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$14.00
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$14.00
$10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00

Carved Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (13mm)

Out of stock

Olive trees are well known as a source of fruit and oil, but what many people aren't aware is that the wood itself is among the hardiest of all fru...

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$14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
$14.00
$10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
$10.00
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Vintage Wooden Ethiopian Prayer Beads - The Bead Chest
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$21.00 - $21.00
$21.00
$21.00
$21.00 - $21.00
$21.00

Vintage Wooden Ethiopian Prayer Beads

Out of stock

These authentic wooden beads show the signs of real wear. Beads such as these are often worn in the countryside by villagers and may be passed from...

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$21.00 - $21.00
$21.00
$21.00
$21.00 - $21.00
$21.00
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