Zulu Chandilier Earrings in Green and Silver Glass Beads

Earring Size:
Length: 3 inches
Width: ½ inch

These beautifully hand crafted earrings are made by the Zulu women. These delicate dangly earrings are carefully made combining green and silver beads to make this stunning fashion statement.

The spirit and rhythm of Africa is expressed in vibrant color in this unique art form. All the ethnic groups in South Africa place high value in beads, which at one time were used as currency with which to trade hardware and foodstuff.

Zulu women are experts at beadwork, weaving beads into intricate patterns to form jewelry and other decorative ornaments. The beads were first made from ivory, bone, clay, seed, stones, seashells, eggshells, plants, aromatic wood and locally smelted iron. Vastly superior glass beads were introduced by European traders and became so popular that there are records of gold, ivory and even slaves being traded for them.

These earrings are made by women that are a part of an employment project, they are able to use their traditional beading skills to create jewelry that is appealing to a universal market, thus enabling them to earn a livable wage without having to move to the urban areas.

Comes beautifully boxed.

About African Jewelry.

Owning a piece of African jewelry is more than owning a piece of jewelry its possessing a world of culture and history in its own beautiful form. Even though there is history and meaning behind each piece, it’s the art in the jewelry that grabs the attention of most collectors.

African jewelry is an ancient and time honored art form that reflects the art of African heritage, culture and history. There are several artistic, religious, spiritual and cultural elements of African heritage visible in each uniquely crafted piece of jewelry.

Around the turn of the 10th century, when bronze work was common, crafting these pieces became more intricate. Bronze pieces were normally decorated with ivory or precious stones and several of these pieces were identified with royalty. Beads have also played a very important role in African culture and can be seen today in many of the beautiful pieces of jewelry created by the skilled craftsmen who make them.

Modern African pieces still remain true to the same historic values and meanings of the past. These values represent different elements of African culture and reveal the importance of each piece of jewelry, which in turn makes them so special to collectors and art lovers everywhere.

The history and meaning of each piece of jewelry is unique. It is said that owning one of these pieces provides hope, wisdom and well-being to its owner. So start your own ‘art’ collection today.

About African Beadwork.

Beadwork is one of the most compelling art traditions in Africa. Artists must carefully consider the materials, colors, textures, shapes, and sizes of the beads to choose those that compliment or contrast with one another. A single-colored or multi-colored bead of fine workmanship may have as great a visual impact as many beads strung together or embroidered on a cloth.