The natural shapes and colors come with a twist these days— perfect for fresh, warm weather friendly adornment.

That estimate doesn’t include the time it would have taken to collect the scallop-like shells from the seashore. “We think the beads formed ceremonial clothing that was worn by these women ...

An experimental replica of shell beads with Natufian red organic colorant made from the roots of Rubiaceae plants. (Laurent Davin/Creative Commons via Courthouse News) (CN) — The Natufians, the first ...

Measuring just about a quarter of an inch long. These tiny shell beads have the power to acknowledge nations, record histories, resolve conflicts and form part of the economic system of colonial ...

An experimental replica of shell beads with Natufian red organic colorant made from the roots of Rubiaceae plants Laurent Davin, CC-BY 4.0 The flash of bright red caught Laurent Davin’s eye.

human- and animal-like figurines or decorated objects with incised geometric patterns were decorated with ochre – and personal adornments with thousands of shell, bone, and tooth beads were as well.