Additional information: For more information, please see our comprehensive guide to African-made beads, African Beads: Jewels of a Continent, hardcover, 216 pages, 163 color photographs, available from Africa Direct. Snake vertebrae are used as beads throughout West Africa, and by several groups in East Africa as well. They are often intermingled with expensive Venetian tradebeads...an indication of the value given to these beads. These have been bleached and cleaned.

• Type of Object: Snake vertebrae bone
• Made In: Africa and Traded In: Africa.
• Bead Size: 10-11 mm wide. See picture with penny for size comparison. and Strand Length: 29 inches (include string/raffia) each.

Type of Object: Snake vertebrae boneAfrica Direct