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Special Bead Shapes

The collar bead is so called because of the extra material around the apertures, the collar. Many people have made collar beads, but historically the most important come from southern India in the first few centuries A.D. These are glass ones fromArikamedu.

The melon bead is a very widespread shape. It can be round or other shapes and has gadrooning (grooves) along its side. They are called tangerine in Japan, amalaka in India, Nelli in Sri Lanka, etc. The shape has been used for many materials around the world.

Red jasper, China.

In addition to basic shape, whether a bead is standard, long or short is important.

Standard beads are about as long as they are wide. Different people support various ratios for this; I suggest about a 25% leeway either way.

No one would disagree that this is a short bicone.

Wood, Taiwan, ca. 1985.

This long bicone is from the Bontoc and made of white marble.
It is related to and may even be a fukas.

Do you have questions about other bead shapes? Ask at the Office.

To Basic Bead Shapes.

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