Bauxite Beads

A strand of tiny Bauxite Beads strung on raffia 24″ long. The beads are approx. 4 mm. The beads are rough and have an earthy hewn look. These beads were bought from Hidir, a Trader at the Koforidua Market. He was telling me these beads which are handcrafted in a very labour intensive process starting from mining the bauxite to drilling the holes, are now endangered as less and less are being made as the Craftsmen cannot make a reasonable living.

Bauxite Beads are a beautiful mix of Autumn browns ranging from quite a light almost orange brown to a deep rich brown. They give a necklace a natural look and feel.