Bone beads have a long history on the African continent. Bone is one of several natural materials that have been available in Africa for millennia including wood, stone, and clay. Bone beads have been made throughout the African continent including East, West, and even South Africa. Historically, bone beads may be made from any number of bone sources including ivory from different kinds of animal tusks or antlers. Other natural materials similar to bone used to make beads include horn, ostrich eggshells, marine and freshwater seashells such as clams, and also coral. Bone is unique among bead making materials due to both its strength and because it can be carved by hand and polished into many different shapes and sizes.
One of the best-known varieties of bone beads is the Mudcloth Bone Batik from East Africa. Kenya in particular is a major producer of Batik Bone Beads. These beads are usually made from Cow or Water Buffalo bone that is first bleached and then patterned. Patterning is achieved by a special method where wax is used to apply a dye based on any one of a number of traditional geometric patterns. These designs may include stripes, dots, swirls, and other decorative motifs. Because each bead is individually patterned, this gives each piece a unique flair.
Glass beads are made by the Krobo People of Ghana and are an excellent example of African creative recycling. Coloured bottles are collected, sorted and crushed. The fragments are then poured into individual bead moulds and fired in a kiln made from termite clay and fuelled by firewood and palm kernels that burn at a very high temperature. The hole for the bead is made using a cassava stem that burns up during firing leaving the hole. Once the fused glass cools the resulting beads are washing and polished using sand and water. This labour-intensive process results in each bead being truly unique and hand made. The technique has been used in Africa for centuries.
All stock ships from the Gold Coast in Queensland. The standard order processing time is 1 – 3 business days. By placing an order for goods you agree that your details, such as name, contact numbers, delivery address can be passed to those third-party couriers. While we aim to get your order delivered to you within 5 – 10 working days, in the unlikely event of extended delays, we will endeavor to inform you. Any questions or follow up regarding delivery can be directed by email to info@empiresofthesun.com.au.
All deliveries will require a signature to ensure the parcel arrives in the hands of the correct person. This cost is included in the delivery fee. Empires of the Sun cannot be held responsible for late or failed deliveries for reasons outside our control e.g. third-party couriers or in the case of adverse weather conditions. Empires of the Sun inspects and takes due diligence while packing your order to ensure it arrives in the best possible condition. All orders must be inspected upon delivery and any breakages must be reported and photographed within 24 hours of receiving your order.
Please enquire about your specific delivery timeframes prior to purchase if you require express shipping.
Empires of the Sun designs hand-crafted items using unique and antique materials. Each piece may be crafted by many hands, from artisans all over the world. Because of this, each piece contains imperfections due to its handmade nature. To us, it's perfectly imperfect.
We make every effort to portray our goods as 'true to life' as possible. However, due to image photography, compression, different screen resolutions and displays, some colours might be slightly different. To have the best indication of true colour, please ensure you view all images and any accompanying videos. If for some reason you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact us via info@empiresofthesun.com.au or Facebook.
We do not accept returns for 'change of mind' sales. We will accept refunds for broken and damaged items as long as the items are returned to us. We stand by our craftsmanship, and in the unlikely case that your jewellery breaks due to craftsmanship issues, we will repair and return it to you free of charge. However, if any breakages occur due to dropping, impact damage or any cause outside of craftsmanship, no returns will be accepted.
Please feel free to contact us at info@empiresofthesun or on Facebook for more information.
