Home >
alexandraamaro's shop >
Mozambique Island Pieces >
Delicatta Earrings - Antique Mozambique Island Trade Beads, Pearls, Silver

Delicatta Earrings - Antique Mozambique Island Trade Beads, Pearls, Silver

Description

These one-of-a-kind earrings feature slender white trade bead tubes from Mozambique Island (Ilha de Moçambique) encased in spiraling silver wire.

A historical trading center with ties to Arabia, Persia and India, the island was settled by the Portuguese shortly after Vasco da Gama’s arrival in 1548. In 1558, Mozambique Island was named the capital of Portuguese East Africa.

Over the years, some 500 ships sank off the island, spilling such trade items as pottery, glass beads, ivory and coins into the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean.

Today, at low tide, local boys dig in the exposed sand flats for the remnants of these treasures. The Mozambique Island beads I use in my designs are purchased directly from these boys, as they are not available commercially.

The trade beads used in these earrings are very thin white tubes with tiny turquoise accent beads. They are likely Venetian in origin. The beads have a beautiful patina from centuries spent under the sea. A white pearl dangle finishes the design.

Earrings measure approximately 2 1/4 inches (5.7 cm) including sterling silver hooks. All wire is sterling silver.

Added on Nov 13, 2009