A couple of weeks ago I asked Rosh Hashem a third generation gem dealer that lives in Mumbai India, if it was possible to send some pictures of how beads are produced? In addition, could he tell me about the workers, their history family, etc? Pictures of buildings, equipment, and any type of bead related pictures that he could think of. Of course, I offered to pay for any film costs, involved
To my delight Rosh wrote back and said,
"I'm planning on a tour of 'factories' where they do beads in agate stones.
I am planning on a visit on 8th-9th September 2001, I'll take photographs on my digital camera, and forward you by email with requested details of workers and history."
Jerry:
Rosh these pictures are Brilliant! These are exactly what I wanted.
Rosh:
Glad you think I can be a good photographer. My wife says I'm very bad at picture taking.
Please Note:
India is the "mother of beads." She gets that honor because she is home to three major bead industries whose products have been leaders in the global bead commerce. (Glass, Stone and Clay) This is not to mention hundreds of smaller industries and a resurgent modern glass bead industry.
The most important beadmaking place ever is in India; it made both glass and stone beads for some 2000 years.
Arikamedu, India
By 2500 B.C., this region was populated by highly sophisticated people whom we call the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization. They were exporting these gem minerals beads to Mesopotamia, the Levant and Egypt. The ancient center of agate beadmaking is close to the modern center, Cambay in Gujarat state. Over the years, the beadmaking centers have changed, but the source for agates and carnelians has apparently always been in the old riverbeds of the lower Narmada River.
Not only has the source of the stones remained the same, but also the way in which they were turned into beads has changed very little over 4000 years. In this century, electricity has been added to a few steps (grinding and polishing). The last important technological change before that was the introduction of the double-tipped diamond drill (even today powered by a hand-driven bow drill), a discovery made over 2000 years ago.
Double-tipped diamond drills 2000 years ago? It reminds us that India was once the major supplier of diamonds to the world and that diamonds were used industrially before they were used in jewelry. Even today, India cuts more diamonds by carat than any other country in the world. Though the diamonds are mostly imports, the cutting is going on in the same region where stone beads have been produced for 4500 years.
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