Glass Beads- Background Research/Documentation

The link below is to an ongoing "research paper" that represents what I have learned about glass beads and bead making in period. Some of the information in this paper has been included in documentation I have created for specific projects, but, this paper represents an Appendix that I can add to any project I create to provide the reader with a relevant historic overview. I hope to continue to add to it over time.

Link to Documentation

Reticella Beads

Purpose

To recreate, as accurately as possible, a style of early medieval bead known as Reticella beads. In working to recreate this bead, my hope was also to improve my ability to create and work with twisted glass rods, as the use of these glass rods is the major skill required to make Reticella beads. 

These beads were found in several societies. The color combination in the top row of beads were from Frankish/Merovingian people and they were also imported into Anglo-Saxon England from the continent. The color combination from the bottom row of beads is from Scandinavia and Ireland. T

Documentation

Anglo-Saxon Woman's Necklace

Purpose:

To recreate an Anglo-Saxon Woman’s necklace found in a grave at a cemetery in Castledyke South, Barton-on-Humber. The primary source evidence for this project is a book which details the archaeological findings at the site. This was the first time I used an archeological report as a source.

Primary Source:

Drinkall, G. and M. Foreman. The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Castledyke South, Barton-on-Humber. Sheffield Academic Press. 1998.

Full Documentation


Note: inspiration for this project came from the following source article by Adelicia of Cumbria (Atlantia)

Traffic Light Beads

Purpose: To to recreate a style of early Anglo-Saxon bead labeled by scholar Birte Brugmann as  “Traffic Light Beads.” These beads are interesting because there are several different construction styles that were used in period to achive a similar effect. One of the construction techinques, applying twisted trails, I was also not able to do  before starting on this project, making this project a valuable learning opportunity for me.

Comple Documentation


Variations on an Anglo-Saxon Bead Type

Crossed Waves/Crossed Waves with Dots

Full documentation

Combed Beads

Recreation of a type of bead based on historic Anglo-Saxon grave finds. This type of bead was likely imported from the Frankish/Merovingian kingdom.

Link to Full Documentation

Anglo-Saxon Inspired Beads (6-7th century)

The decorative patterns on the beads below are documentable, however, some of the color combinations are not documentable. I wanted to make a series of beads in my heraldic colors. 

More details can be found in my documentation Recreating a 6th century Frankish/Anglo-Saxon Bead