Nila glass beads (Mali)

“Nila” beads are excavation beads found in Mali, in particular in the Djenne area. Djenne dates back to 250 BC and is one of the oldest trading centers along the Saharan caravan routes which where a vital crossroads for the gold and salt trade. The ancient beads found in this area were made elsewhere and were imported along these ancient trade routes to Djenne and other destinations. Even today the exact origins of these beads remain unclear and this topic fuels many a debate among bead collectors and bead researches alike. These ancient beads can date from 500 years old to around two thousands years old and are sometimes called dig beads.