Vintage Ostrich Eggshell heishi from Kenya, smooth and even 8-10mm
24-inch strands of uniformly round beads
Ostrich eggshell beads are thicker than either clam shell or snail shell beads and also have larger holes, up to 1mm
Ostrich eggshell beads are among the earliest human adornments, having been made in East and Southern Africa, and traded among different groups, for over 50,000 years.
They are still being made today in much the same way in South Africa, Namibia, and Kenya, but only older women still wear them, most are now being made for export and not finished as well as the vintage ones.
NOTE: most of the strands in this batch have more black speckles than show up in this photo. I'll take more photos if you request them via Contact Us
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