Beads made from ostrich eggshell are amongst the earliest known examples of African jewellery. They are made by the indigenous peoples of the Kalahari Desert, which spans areas of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Angola. These peoples are sometimes called ‘Bushmen’ as they were traditionally hunter-gatherers but since the 1950s have increasingly turned to settled agriculture.

Making beads from ostrich eggshell is a time-consuming and intricate process. The eggshell is broken into small pieces which are tapped into a slightly rounded shape. A hole is then drilled through the centre of the bead before it is strung on a string (traditionally sinew, now nylon) so that the beads fit tightly together. In this example the beads have been separated using discs of hide. The beads are then rubbed with a brittle stone for a smooth rounded shape.