Two Strands Are Better Than One

Abstract

The bead strand shown above-left was included in a horde from Stora Ryk, Sweden, and dated to 800-1100.  I was able to source the Swedish Historical Museum’s records to find the provenance of the find.  Their records held photographs of the location, as well as records and photographs of the horde in its entirety, which led me down a research-filled path to a wealth of knowledge not only of this find, but of the history of the trade-market of glass beads.  I was fortunate enough to find a recent newspaper article detailing the excavation itself – a burst of luck both for the landowner at the time, and myself present day. 

The initial photograph I saved in my files was only a small selection of the total beads, which I did not know at the time.  My research brought me the details of the entirety of the grave, the supposed wealth class of the woman who was believed to have worn this item, the materials as they would have been used in period, and the multiple areas from which they would have been sourced.  Surprisingly, the horde was not buried with human remains, but seemed to be protected in the earth for safekeeping, under a piece of already-broken pottery.  In my full documentation, I have also included a detailed description of materials and techniques used to create my reproduction, above-right.

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For the creation of my homage to this beautiful treasure, I used soft Effetre glass, COE 104 lampworking glass rods sourced from multiple distributors, with the intent of matching the museum’s photograph’s colors, then using these colors to create the beads, to scale, as if they were new, and not weathered or altered by the elements that engulfed them for decades.  I also bartered, using the modern financial trade techniques of PayPal, with reputable gemologists for the carnelian and rock crystal to complete the other section of this strand.

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What fascinated me the most about this extant find is that it is a cacophony of colors, something that is not typically seen in one strand, or one grave.  Glass colors are typically classified by region, likely due to the chemical composition of the elements used within the glass’ creation.  Examples include the yellows and reds found in Anglo-Saxon England, blues and yellows from Ireland, and a multitude of greens and cobalt blue found in Africa (sciencedirect.com).

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Please find my full documentation below, and forgive that it scanned crooked.  It will be rescanned after the competition.