ANCIENT AFGHAN BEADS

Most of the beads displayed in this section are sourced from the area around Balkh in North-East Afghanistan. In opposition to neolithic beads from Africa, these beads are truly ancient. Neolithic beads from Africa can be as 'young' as 600 years.



NEOLITHIC PERIOD
 


The beads in
my collection
are now for sale

Inquire
through bead ID
for price



Afg 1 -  31 * 18 * 9 mm
SOLD
 



Afg 2  -  28 * 20 * 10 mm
I have seen exactly the same
specimen in Moroccan Sahara
SOLD TO TOD K.
 

Click on pictures for larger images
 



 


   
Afg 3  -  29 * 11 mm - SOLD



        Afg 4  -  23 * 18 mm
 

 
 
 


   
    Afg 5  -  37 * 13 mm - SOLD
 

   


      
Afg 6  -  16 * 10 mm - Ivory - SOLD
 


Afg 7  -  18 * 14 * 13 mm
Unknown material - SOLD
 

 

 
 


  
Afg  8 -  19 * 17 * 16 mm
Conch shell - Sold
 


Afg 9  -  14 * 12 * 11 mm
Ivory - SOLD



 
 

 

   Afg 10  -  20 * 6 mm

 



Afg 11 - 18 * 17 mm
Zoomorphic bead - Snake?
 



 



 
Afg 12 -  15 * 6 mm
Green jasper

 


ANCIENT AFGHAN EYE AMULETS -
Third and second Millennium B.C.

The remarkable and rare amulet beads shown below all have dot-in-circles designs, most probably made by a kind of hollow drill instrument. These circles depict an archetypical symbol found in many cultures without any cultural interaction. They are the blessing eyes, protecting the wearer from evil eyes and intentions. It is strange that the eyes, very precise themselves and made on careful symmetric designed beads seemingly are put almost random on the surface of the bead. It made me take up the hypothesis that the eyes also could depict constellations of stars. This hypothesis is however difficult to back up by evidence. It seems that the patterns made by the dots have no resemblance to star constellations as they were in North East Afghanistan in the third millennium BC.
 
 



Afg  13 - 38 * 18 * 6 mm
The amulet beads above are made of black stone with clouds of green.

 
 

   



Afg  14 - 51 * 35 * 8 mm
Large jet stone bead
.
 



 

 

 

Afg 15 -
27 * 25 * 5 mm
 


Afg 16 - 27 * 22 * 7 mm


Above: The bead to the left is made of stone. The 3 other beads are most probably made of lacquer from gum copal.
(Tree sap that has hardened naturally for about maybe 50 - 100 years becomes copal)
 
 



Afg 17 - 26 * 17 * 7 mm
 



Afg 18 -  22 * 17 * 6 mm
 



 

BEADS WITH MAN MADE EYES
 
 



Afg 19  -  25 * 17 mm
Note the 3 eyes around the hole


 


Afg 20  -  Pendant eye bead
 

   



Afg 21  -  26 * 23 * 10 mm
Two concentric circles around
the central dot.
 


Afg 22  -  12 * 10 * 9 mm
Seven dot black bead,
with six dots circling around
 the holy seventh.

 

 



Afg  23  -  25 * 11 mm
Eye bead made of schist.
This bead is crafted in a bit
primitive way. Seen with a little
symbolic thinking that makes the
bead radiate raw energy.
 


Afg 24  -  14 * 10 mm


Afg 26  -  8,5 * 6mm



VARIOUS BEADS WITH NATURAL EYES

 
 



Afg 25  -  25 * 12 mm
Very interesting natural
eye crystal formation
 


Afg 26  -  23 * 10,5 mm
Beautiful natural pupil eye bead
with an oval white sfhere
resembling the white part of the eye.

   



 
Afg 27  -  16 mm
Natural eye bead 
with elongated parallel circles
around the hole
 


Afg 28  -  17 * 9 mm
Natural eye bead. Note the calm
elongated circle center surrounded
by the swirling lines.
This makes the bead both calm and dynamic.



THIRD MILLENNIUM BC SCHIST BEADS
 

 



Afg 29  - 
23 * 9 mm
Bead made of
schist, a rather
unusual material for bead making,
but well known in the
Gandhara art

 


Afg 30  - 
25 * 12 mm
Schist bead



BLACK CHALCEDONY BEADS
 

 



 Afg 31  -  10 * 7 mm
 


Afg 32  -  10 * 10 mm

   



Afg 33  - 13 * 5 mm

 


Afg 34  -  14 * 7 mm
 



CONCH SHELL BEADS
 
 



 


 

   



Afg 37  -  20 * 17 * 3 mm
 


Afg 38  -  17 * 9 * 6 mm
 

   


    
Afg 39  -  20 * 15 * 6 mm
 


ANCIENT LAPIS LAZULI BEADS
Afghanistan has since Neolithic stone bead times been famous for Lapis Lazuli.
Lapis lazuli had in the third millennium BC the same value as gold and precious stones.
It was mostly mined from North East Afghanistan, Sar I Sang, and exported from there as far as to Syria. See more Lapis Lazuli beads from Afghanistan under various Ancient Beads.
 

 


    
Afg 40  -  20 * 6 mm
A rare double ax bead in lapis lazuli
See more Lapis Lazuli Beads from Afghanistan here
 



VARIOUS SUPER ANCIENT STONE BEADS
 

 



Afg 41  -  28 * 22 * 17 mm
Large agate bead with a wonderful
pattern and usage patina
 


Afg 42  -  28, 5 * 20; 5 * 13 mm
This carnelian bead is flat on one side and
round on the side displayed.

---  



Afg 43  - 
37 * 12 mm Green Jasper
 



Afg 44  -  34 * 12 mm
 
Jasper bead with a large hole
 

   



Afg 45  -  23 * 21 * 8 mm
 


Afg 46  -  20 * 17 * 8mm
SOLD

   



 Afg 47  -  24 * 15 mm

 


Afg 48  -  22 * 17 * 13 mm

   



Afg 49
  -  17 * 15 * 14 mm
 


Afg 50  -  14 * 13 * 6 mm

   



Afg 51  -  24 * 11 mm
 



Afg 52  -  20 * 12 mm
 



TURQUOISE BEADS
 

 



Afg 53  -  20 * 17 * 6 mm
 


Afg 54  -  23 * 18 * 12 mm

   



Afg 55  -  22 * 11 mm
 


Afg 56  -  18 * 12 * 5 mm


Afg 57  -  12 * 11 * 5 mm
 



SARDONYX BEADS
 

 

 

      Afg 58  -  26 * 10,5 mm
 

   

 

Afg 59  -  13,4 * 8
mm
 


Afg 60  - 
11,5 * 7,5 mm


       Afg 61  -  11,5 * 10 mm


Afg 62
 -  11,5, * 10,5




UNCOOKED BEADS
Truncated Convex Bicone Agate Beads

 
 



Afg 63  - 26 * 11 m
 


Afg 64  - 26 * 11 mm

 

 



Afg 65  - 26 * 11 mm
 


      
Afg 66  - 27 * 11mm

   

v

Afg 67  -
26 * 12 mm
 


Afg 68 
-  27 * 11 mm

   



 Afg 69  -  23 * 11,5 mm
 


Afg 70  - 23 * 11 mm 

 

VARIOUS ANCIENT BEADS
 

 


Afg 71  -  18 * 14 mm
 


Afg 72  -  18 * 12 * 7 mm

 

 

18 * 8 mm
Afg 73
  -  Chung DZI - SOLD



20 * 12 mm
Afg 74  - 
Ancient Sulemani agate
 

   


Afg 75  -  16 * 15 * 5,5 mm
 

Afg 76  -  15 * 16 mm
   


Afg 77  -  17 * 6 mm
 

Afg 78  -  15 * 8 mm
   


Afg 79  -  16 * 9 mm
 

Afg 80  -  17 * 10 mm

 

 



Afg 81
  -  16 * 8 mm
 


  
Afg 82  -  20 * 9 mm
 

   

 
Afg 83  -  13, 5 * 12 mm
 

Afg 84  -  12 * 9 mm
   


Afg 85  -  35 * 13 mm
 

Afg 86  -  22 * 10 mm
   

Translucent agate pendant beads


Afg 87
 



FOSSILIZED JASPER BEADS
These beads are made from a fossilized jasper from India. The locals call this stone, Mahamiriam. It is also known as Elephant Jasper. This fossil consists of coquina clams mixed with sand and has formed near the seashore of Gujarat.

 

 



Afg 88  -  21* 18  mm


Afg  89  -  Cube: 12 * 12 * 8 mm
 



HEART SHAPED PENDANT BEADS
 
 



Afg 90  -  38 * 31 * 7 mm
 

   



Afg 91  -  46 * 36 * 8 mm
 

   



Afg 92  -  21 * 20 * 6 mm
 



TREASURES FROM BACTRIA
Below you will see some wonderful burial beads from the Greek Kingdom of Bactria.
The beads are discolored by sleeping in the earth for a thousand winters and summers. However they also bear clear marks from human wear and tear. In short: the fulfill all the criteria's of being  sublime scarred beads.
 
 



 

   



BAC  1  - 13 * 10 mm
Very rare etched pattern
 

   




BAC  2  - 17 * 7 mm
 

   




BAC  3  - 19 * 8 mm
 

   




BAC  4  -  16 * 9 mm
 

   




BAC  5  -  19 * 10 mm
 

   




BAC  6  -  16 * 10 mm
 

   




BAC  7  -  17 * 8 mm
 

   




BAC  8  -  14 * 10 mm
 

   




BAC  9  -  12 * 6 mm
 

   




BAC  10  -  12 * 8 * 5
 

   




BAC  11  -  13 * 4 * 5 mm
 

   




BAC  12  - 12 mm
 

   




BAC  13  -  10 * 9 * 8 mm
 


BAC  14  -  10 * 9 * 5 mm


 
 




BAC  15  -  10 * 9 * 8 mm
 


BAC  16  -  9 * 8 mm

   





BAC  18  - 7 * 6 mm average size
Click on pictures for larger images
 


The Bactrian beads displayed above have a very unusual form. This shape, as displayed below is not to my knowledge not mentioned in any bead book. These beads are rare.
 
 



 

   




BAC  19  -  13 * 11 * 8 mm - largest bead to the left
 

   




BAC  20  - 13 * 4,5 mm   largest bead down
 

   




BAC  21  -  9 * 7 mm   largest bead left
 

   




BAC  22  -  10 * 4 mm   largest bead left down
Click on picture for larger image

 

   




BAC  23  -  8,5 mm    largest bead down middle
Click on picture for larger image

 

   



 

 

   

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Contact: Gunnar Muhlman - Gunnars@mail.com