Furnace wound beads are believed to be one of the earliest forms of glass
beads dating back to 2340-2180 BC in Mesopotania and the Caucus Region
(Russia).
They are made by winding hot glass around a rod (mandrel) in an open
furnace. The bead is wound in the furnace and then removed
from the fire where modifications, such as shaping, are made. It is
then reheated, knocked off the mandrel and annealed (cooled slowly in a
small chamber attached to the fire).
Nowadays the vast majority of handmade furnace wound beads made in this centuries old traditional way are made in small factories in Purdilpur, India.
Furnace wound beads are large - the smallest bead is usually 14mm.
They are made on thick metal rods which make large holes so the beads are great for threading onto thong.
