A strand of 100 hard wood Mali Prayer Beads that are a dark brownish-black (more black than brown) with a silver band strung on string  28" long. Two sizes are medium and small: medium - the bead is about 10-12 mm and the hole is about 2mm and small - the bead is about 8-10 mm ... these are handmade so will vary slightly in size and shape. 'The English word bead derives from the Old English noun bede which means a prayer. The exact origins of prayer beads remain uncertain, but their earliest use probably traces to Hindu prayers in India.' (wikipedia)