gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio, beads, India, Mesopotamia, trade, Aksum, Ethiopia, glass, gold in glass, 432 beads, carnelian, agate, rock crystal, malachite, beryl, amazonite, chalcedony, limestone, alabaster (?), talc schist, chlorite schist, siltstone, claystone, mudstone, kaolin, soapstone, slate, beryl

An overview of beads collected from Aksum. Beads made of stone, metal, terracotta, wood, and ostrich eggshell are included in this chapter, totaling approximately 452 specimens. Stone beads, numbering 432 and represented in a wide variety of materials, greatly outnumber the others. The metal beads comprise 12 of copper and one of silver. A few terracotta examples and one bead each of wood and ostrich eggshell complete the group.