I thought it might be useful (maybe even interesting!) to give some detail about the materials used in the jewellery I make, and where possible, where I get my materials from.  I will add to these details as I create more jewellery - I have at present some interesting Old, Middle and New Kingdom beads in my beadbox, so watch this space!

Antique Beads

I buy all of these direct from www.heliosgallery.com for the simple reason that they are experts in their field, and I (and you) need to know that the beads are 100% genuine.

Faience is from Egypt, and was invented by 4000BC.  It is a type of ceramic with a coloured glaze, intended to emulate precious stones such as turquoise (symbolising new life and the earths fecundity) and lapis lazuli (to represent the sky and heaven).  The Egyptians loved beads, their word for bead being 'sha-sha', which is literally luck-luck, and while the rich were able to afford precious stones and glass, faience was available to the poorest of people.  Almost every part of the body would be covered with woven bead work, and this would be carried into burial, giving the name 'mummy beads'.

Carnelian is a stone used and revered throughout the ages and the world.  To the Egyptians it symbolised the colour of blood, and therefor life.  Where I use ancient Carnelian I will identify which age and area the beads come from in the item description.

'Roman' glass beads is the term used to describe glass beads made from 100BC to AD400 within the Roman Empire.  Beads were used by the Romans to trade throughout the empire and far beyond.  

Islamic Beads is quite a large range to cover, as this encompasses from 7th century AD onwards, and Africa, Asia, south eastern Europe and China.  Islamic art is hugely diverse, as different cultures, traditions, styles and techniques have been integrated, but has its own unique style.  Many of the Carnelian beads I use are from the Islamic period - Carnelian is thought to protect against evil.