A bead is a small, decorative object that is pierced for threading or stringing. As an alternative to piercing, plastic beads may be Moulded Onto a Thread during manufacturing; these MOT beads are often used for the throw necklaces worn at Mardi Gras. Beads range in size from under a millimeter to over a centimeter in diameter. Glass, plastic, and stone are probably the most common materials, but beads are also made from bone, horn, ivory, metal, shell, pearl, coral, gemstones, polymer clay, metal clay, resin, synthetic minerals, wood, ceramic, fiber, paper, and the seeds of the Bead tree. A pair of beads made from Nassarius shells that are approximately 100,000 years old are thought to be the first known examples of jewellery.
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Note added at 7 mins (2006-11-07 15:23:00 GMT)
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Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beads to one another or to cloth using a needle and thread. Most beadwork takes the form of jewelry or other personal adornment, but beads are also used in wall hangings and sculpture.

Beadwork techniques are broadly divided into loom and off-loom weaving, stringing, bead embroidery, bead crochet, and bead knitting.

Most cultures have employed beads for personal adornment. Archaeological records show that people made and used beads as long as 5000 years ago. Beads have also been used for religious purposes, as good luck talismans, and as curative agents
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