Strand of 42 Hebron (aka Kano) beads in various shades of green with some yellow and blue green mixed. Beads are in remarkably good shape for their age and also quite consistent in size mostly about 12x20mm.
African traders will sometimes oil the surfaces of older beads, but unfortunately this habit attracts dirt over time. The colors of these beads will appear much brighter if they are gently washed with warm water, dishwashing liquid, and soft brush. If you chose to oil them again after washing use a small amount coconut oil, which soaks in well and is sold at room temperature so less likely to be greasy or attract dirt.
Made in Hebron near Jerusalem according to Pete Francis, by bead-makers who emigrated from Tyre (in present day Syria) and used Dead Sea salt as the alkali in their glass mix.
The industry thrived from the 12th century until 1878 exporting beads throughout the region.
The beads are still treasured in Sudan, where yellow is the favored color and the most common. Green and Blue-Green and Blue are much rarer and much more popular in Europe and the US.
Hebron beads eventually made their way across the Sahara and ended up in the Nigerian trading town of Kano - hence their alternate name. Hausa traders carried them from there to markets around West Africa.
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