Glossary · Term
Bead
Beads are small decorative objects of glass, stone, shell or metal, pierced for threading, which served widely as trade goods and stores of value. Sub-Saharan beads found at Garamantian sites illustrate the reach of the Garamantian Empire's trans-Saharan exchange. In southern Africa, imported beads were traded for gold and ivory at coastal centres such as Sofala, linking the Mutapa and Rozvi empires to Indian Ocean commerce.
Mentioned in 17 profiles
Garamantian EmpireImpactMutapa EmpireSocioeconomyRozvi EmpireSocioeconomyIroquois ConfederacySocioeconomyMombasaSocioeconomyKingdom of AnkoleSocioeconomyKingdom of BunyoroSocioeconomyZulu KingdomSocioeconomySwahiliOriginsChavínSocioeconomyKingdom of ChimorSocioeconomyCahokiaSocioeconomyPowhatan ConfederacySocioeconomy, GovernanceKilwa SultanateSocioeconomyKingdom of ZimbabweSocioeconomyKingdom of MapungubweFoundation, Socioeconomy, ImpactKingdom of NriSocioeconomy, Impact, Summary
Mentioned in 12 state histories
See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Bead. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/bead
- MLA
- “Bead.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/bead. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Bead.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/bead.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Bead’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/bead (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻