Beads range in size from under a millimeter to over a centimeter to well over 10 cms. Glass, plastic and stone are 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, fibre, paper, and seeds.
Beads have existed since the earliest pre-historic times.
