..materials. The bead in the most recent post appears to have a fired terracotta core overlaid with perhaps a faience "glaze". It doesn't appear to be the same as the early glazes that were appearing on Chinese pots around the same time. I have several of these pots, and the glaze is thin, somewhat olivish in color, and does not resemble the vibrant beads in any way. Has there been TML dating attempted on the beads? I suspect the cores of some of the beads could be dated. I use the early date simply because it is the accepted beginning date of the Warring States period. I guess the most obvious comparison, since you believe they are faience cored, would be the ushabti of Egypt. I have had these as well, and even a broken one, and at least to my amateur eye the beads(cores of them) do not appear to be made from the same material. I am willing to accept your opinion since that is what I heard about these beads when I first encountered them. But now I am not so sure that all the cores are faience. Seems easy to solve if TML has been attempted on some of them. Thank you Jamey. Steve