Very rare glass bead, once used as primitive money. These beads are made of swirling coloured blue and white glass. 17mmx17mm, 5.95 grams, complete and without restoration.

Coloured glass beads were used as proto-coins or primitive money all throughout south-east Asia starting in the 600-s AD. This piece is from western Sumatra in Indonesia. The pictures above are of the same bead taken from different angles, this lot contains only a single glass bead-money. These beads are well-known and are published (among other places) in "Magical ancient beads: (from the collection of Ulrich J. Beck)" by Jamey D. Allen, Sumarah Adhyatman. 

Unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.