A strand of approx. small Bauxite Beads strung on raffia 24" long. The beads are approx. 7 mm. They are handmade and so will vary in size, shape and colour. The beads are polished and have an earthy rough hewn look. These beads were bought directly Hidir, a Trader in Koforidua, Ghana. He was telling me these beads are becoming harder and harder to get as  they are handcrafted in a very labour intensive process starting from mining the bauxite from the nearby hills to drilling the holes and as the older generation retires no one takes their place as the Craftsman cannot make a reasonable living. Bauxite Beads are a beautiful mix of Autumn browns ranging from quite a light almost orange brown to a deep rich brown. These beads tend towards the lighter earthy colours. They give a necklace a natural look and feel.

A strand of tiny Bauxite Beads strung on raffia 24" long. The beads are approx. 4 mm. The beads are rough and have an earthy hewn look. These beads were bought from Hidir, a Trader at the Koforidua Market. He was telling me these beads which are handcrafted in a very labour intensive process starting from mining the bauxite to drilling the holes, are now endangered as less and less are being made as the Craftsmen cannot make a reasonable living. Bauxite Beads are a beautiful mix of Autumn browns ranging from quite a light almost orange brown to a deep rich brown. They give a necklace a natural look and feel.