How to Make Paper Beads with Printable Templates

The history of beads is very extensive due to their use in traditional ceremonies and rituals since the beginning of the human race. Early tribes used them for healing, as talismans, and as a symbol of status or wealth. Beads were also used for trade similarly to currency, especially throughout Africa. African people would make their beads from shell, bone, ivory, or other organic materials. Archaeologists discovered what they believed to be the oldest glass bead in East Africa, which they knew had to have come from southern India. The glass bead was mass-produced in Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania in Africa. The bead industry grew into Europe in later years and became a major commodity during the years of the slave trade. The shocking role that beads have played over the course of history is truly fascinating, and as you make these paper beads, you can know that you’re making the craft of your ancient ancestors of the world.