There are probably no phenolic beads that resemble these—they being mostly rather formal and conventional oblates, more or less.

Your beads look like local Berber beads, made by them for them, concocted from a list of ingredients that sounds like a salad. (Oil, vinegar, flour, etc.) I have some similar beads.

JDA.

I can't say I've even seen any quite like these. The "really amber" beads offered by many African traders are somehow different. Those are usually worked into disc shaped pieces. These are free form. Maybe these are a collection of similarly shaped and colored beads of what might be real amber.

You'll have to dig out Jamey's list of tests and see if you can eliminate each of the fake materials. Let us know.

Hi Anne,

These look very much like beads which have been produced by Radhoui Berber in and around Tarroudant for many years. I buy recent production ones in the area, and have also seen older examples. Some are of this less regular shape.
warm wishes
Sarah

What are the beads which have been produced by Radhoui Berber in and around Tarroudant made out of, Sarah?

Good question Russ!

I have been working on seeing the process, I am now familiar with a family producing them but as yet havent been able to see the processes involved. They have shown me other bead production, but I need to be there at the right time to see these ones being produced.
I would hazzard that they are plastic / resin of some type. They seem to have a paler inner which has been dipped in an ochre resin, I was intrigued by Jamie's list of ingredients posted earlier. Have you seen the processes Jamie?

If I ask them I am told Berber Amber!

Once I am able to see this taking place, I shall post info and pics too.
Warm wishes
Sarah

Hi Sarah,

I haven't been to Morocco, and I don't have a reference for these beads. I repeated what I was told about the beads I acquired from their previous owner. This was about thirty years ago. I don't even remember who told me the story.

The beads I have are relatively soft. I could even imagine they might be gummy or rubbery, if allowed to become heated. I might also describe the material as being sort of "cheese-like." I hot-needled them way back when, but right now I could not characterize their aroma (except to say it was not conventionally plastic-like, and was not amber-like).

I would be inclined to compare these beads to the custom of making scented-paste beads, including danq beads (the beads that are wrongly called "myrrh" beads by the majority of sellers and collectors). This tradition and similar ones are regional in Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali. Possibly also Morocco, for all I know. It also makes me think of the use of cloves (the spice pod or seed), used by all sorts of nomadic people across N. Africa and the Near East. Al these beads are intended to smell nice.

Remember, the name "amber" comes to us from the Spanish "ambar," (or "ambra") related to the Arabic "anbar"—meaning incense or perfume.

I'll see if I can dig out the beads I have, and post them. It's been a while since I last saw them....

Jamey

Hi Jamey,
Are we correct when we say the so called myrrh beads are made from the "pulverized seeds of detarium microcarpum (danq) trees"? Any idea what is added to the seeds to make the "dough?"

The beads that start this thread do have the look of being made with the fingers, squeezed out and formed. They are nothing like the much more regular beads sold as some kind of amber all over the world.

Sara, I own a strand of these but, mine are more irregular and they actually look like genuine Amber! Even more so, than PHenolic resin or Bakelite! I burnt one to see what would happen. To my surprize only the outer layer peeled away showing a lighter inner layer. I like these beads! Now, that I know that they are actually made by the Berbers, I like them more! Thanks for any info you can give us.

Unfortunately I was overbid with this strand but I bought another directly. So waiting for the post to deliver I will then show the beads and take one apart, prick it with hot needles, let it float (hopefully!) and maybe we can see what they are made of. Anyhow, I like there very crude look of these beads! And - if Jamey is right with his ingredients, I can always season my salad with bits and pieces of a bead. LOL

Until postman's knock at my door!