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Wood Beads

  • Blue Dotted Inlaid Arabian Prayer Beads - The Bead Chest
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    $54.31 - $54.31
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    Blue Dotted Inlaid Arabian Prayer Beads

    Out of stock

    Evocative of a lost world, these beautiful Arabian prayer beads have been handcrafted by a master artisan. Look carefully and you will see that eac...

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    $54.31 - $54.31
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  • Red Wood Beads (8mm, Round) - The Bead Chest
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    $13.58 - $13.58
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    Red Wood Beads (8mm, Round)

    Out of stock

    Beautiful strand of red wood beads. Versatile beads for any jewelry project. Try these today!

    $13.58 - $13.58
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  • Dark Inlaid Sandalwood Mala Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $38.01 - $38.01
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    Dark Inlaid Sandalwood Mala Beads (8mm)

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    These beautiful mala beads are hand-carved from natural wood in the mountainous region of Nepal. Each bead is inlaid with various materials includi...

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    $38.01 - $38.01
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  • Dark Brown Round Natural Wood Beads (14mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $6.19 - $6.19
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    Dark Brown Round Natural Wood Beads (14mm)

    Out of stock

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

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    $6.19 - $6.19
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  • Chocolate Disk Coconut Shell Beads (15mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $10.09 - $10.09
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    Chocolate Disk Coconut Shell Beads (15mm)

    Out of stock

    Our beautiful selection of coconut shell beads are handcrafted using natural coconut shell. Coconuts are an important fruit in many parts of Africa...

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    $10.09 - $10.09
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  • Black Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Black Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

    Out of 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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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • Cream Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Cream Disk Natural Wood Beads (5x12mm)

    Out of 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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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • Dark Brown Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Dark Brown Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm)

    Out of stock

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

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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • Cherry Red Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Cherry Red Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm)

    Out of stock

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

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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • Unwaxed Round Rosewood Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $7.76 - $7.76
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    Unwaxed Round Rosewood Beads (6mm)

    Out of stock

    These beautiful wooden beads are made from natural rosewood. The slight variations in colors and shape of the beads will make them a fun addition t...

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    $7.76 - $7.76
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  • Vintage-Style Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (10x8mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $13.96 - $13.96
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    Vintage-Style Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (10x8mm)

    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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    $13.96 - $13.96
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  • Brown Disk Coconut Shell Beads (20mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $12.41 - $12.41
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    Brown Disk Coconut Shell Beads (20mm)

    Out of stock

    Our beautiful selection of coconut shell beads are handcrafted using natural coconut shell. Coconuts are an important fruit in many parts of Africa...

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    $12.41 - $12.41
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  • Olive Green Disk Coconut Shell Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $6.19 - $6.19
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    Olive Green Disk Coconut Shell Beads (8mm)

    Out of stock

    Our beautiful selection of coconut shell beads are handcrafted using natural coconut shell. Coconuts are an important fruit in many parts of Africa...

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    $6.19 - $6.19
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  • Light Brown Disk Coconut Shell Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $6.19 - $6.19
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    Light Brown Disk Coconut Shell Beads (8mm)

    Out of stock

    Our beautiful selection of coconut shell beads are handcrafted using natural coconut shell. Coconuts are an important fruit in many parts of Africa...

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    $6.19 - $6.19
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  • Carved Vintage-Style Light Eye Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (16x12mm) - The Bead Chest
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    Carved Vintage-Style Light Eye Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (16x12mm)

    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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    $18.62 - $18.62
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  • Black Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Black Saucer Natural Wood Beads (15mm)

    Out of stock

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

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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • Unfinished Natural Wood Beads (25mm, Set of 20) - The Bead Chest
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    $9.29 - $9.29
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    Unfinished Natural Wood Beads (25mm, Set of 20)

    Out of stock

    These natural round beads are made of top quality wood and are perfect for all your crafts needs. Available in a variety of sizes, these beads are ...

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    $9.29 - $9.29
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  • HOT DEAL: Round Grainy Wood Beads (5mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $7.76
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    HOT DEAL: Round Grainy Wood Beads (5mm)

    Out of stock

    Hot Deal Special! We are offering a limited number of strands at BIG discounts. Offer may not be combined with any other discounts. Some strands ma...

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    $7.76
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  • Black Stripe Inlaid Olive Wood Arabian Prayer Beads (6mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $25.60 - $25.60
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    Black Stripe Inlaid Olive Wood Arabian Prayer Beads (6mm)

    Out of stock

    Evocative of a lost world, these beautiful Arabian prayer beads have been handcrafted by a master artisan using authentic olive wood. Look carefull...

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    $25.60 - $25.60
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  • Cherry Red Disk Wood Beads (8mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $7.76 - $7.76
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    Cherry Red Disk Wood Beads (8mm)

    Out of stock

    These cherry red disk beads are made from natural wood. The slight variations in colors and shape of the beads will make them a fun addition to you...

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    $7.76 - $7.76
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  • Natural Plant Seed Beads (2 Strands) - The Bead Chest
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    Natural Plant Seed Beads (2 Strands)

    Out of stock

    Beautiful strand of Natural Plant Seed Beads. These beads are sold as a bunch of 2 strands.

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  • Round Natural Palm Wood Beads (5mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $10.86 - $10.86
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    Round Natural Palm Wood Beads (5mm)

    Out of stock

    These brown color round beads are made from natural wood. The slight variations in colors and shape of the beads will make them a fun addition to y...

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    $10.86 - $10.86
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  • Beige Mosaic Inlaid Ebony Arabian Prayer Beads - The Bead Chest
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    $66.72 - $66.72
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    Beige Mosaic Inlaid Ebony Arabian Prayer Beads

    Out of stock

    Evocative of a lost world, these beautiful Arabian prayer beads have been handcrafted by a master artisan. Look carefully and you will see that eac...

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    $66.72 - $66.72
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  • Vintage-Style Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (20x14mm) - The Bead Chest
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    $21.72 - $21.72
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    Vintage-Style Oval Olive Wood Beads from Bethlehem (20x14mm)

    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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    $21.72 - $21.72
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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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