Welcome to the forum!
What beads do you collect? buy? trade?
Pictures always appreciated.
Best, Jeff

I'm not too much of a real bead guy actually, I'm a psychologist and enjoy studying the relationships I see develop on online forums. I have a passing interest in beads having bought a few old agate beads along my travels over the years. I do travel a bit and am only online from time to time when location and computer access permit. I'll send along a picture sometime of a couple of my beads. They are nothing much really. I do enjoy seeing some of the pictures of beads on the forum, though I'd like to see more old agate beads.
cheers,
Butch

Hi Butch, here's a shot of a few favorite agates. The faceted carnelian are early silk road finds, probably 3-4,000 years old. It took several years of searching to put them together, and it's my favorite piece. The other two beads, my wife and I wear often, the brown is the closest to a "Dzi" I'll ever get, and my wife loves the "pink" agate eye bead! (Both found on a $5 yardsale strand!)
Cheers, Jeff

Hi Butch -

My name is bob and I have an agate bead habit too.

As a psychologist this forums archive should provide much low fruit for the picking (chuckle).

Interesting idea......

This photo is of beads I collected in Nepal & Tibet over many years and is certainly NOT the level of most of the excellent photos people post here. I don't have time to invest at the moment but want to honor your message!

Good luck traveling - a bead once in while keeps it interesting.

Shown before, but I love this one. It's barely over an inch long and the little round marks are not visible without magnification. I wear it on a short necklace with small silver and coral beads.

Butch,
You better watch out beads are addictive, the more you see the more you want the more you have the more you want and on and on.

Welcome to the forum ........... Danny

Welcome, Butch, oh yes, this is an entertaining forum on many levels!

Using the Quick Search feature, I just typed in the word "agate" and got 683 different discussion threads on agate beads.

While on an average day we may seem very keen on glass, there are lovers and major collectors here of exquisite stone beads, including agate, from various time periods.

I went from just buying & stringing beads (mostly stone) to being a "collector" of sorts, because of a strand of Afghani agate beads. I just had to have them AND wear them. They are heavier than most of my other beads but there is something about wearing these that makes me feel truly connected with our collective human history of creating and wearing adornment.

I was told these beads may be up to 1000 years old - any opinions out there? They were sold with an assortment of coral that I kept with the strand when I made the necklace. The beads are in superb condition, and the smallest one at the end of the center strand is a true work of art.

Hopefully you not only enjoy your old agates but enjoy wearing them as well!

As to the psychology of the bead forum - there is nothing more satisfying than sharing one's passion, especially with regards to seeing new beautiful beads with almost every post. And the generosity of the forum members is equally beautiful!

Hi Rosanna,

I estimate these beads may date from ca. 500 BCE (+ or -). I refer to them as "Sargonid and Achaemenid" beads. These were significant Persian and Syrian dynasties. I think many such beads date from later Roman times (mostly from India), but tend to be smaller and sometimes faceted. Caramelized and carbonized agates (made brown or black via soaking and heating) date from much earlier—but around 500 BCE is their first big heyday. From as early as 3,000 to 2,500 BCE there are some brown banded cylinder seals, but not the plethora seen later.

Jamey

I had no idea these beads were that old, which makes them even more special to me. Thanks again for sharing your expertise!

Banded agate beads, with Indian gold-over-lac beads and a "patree" medal depicting Lord Shiva & Lady Parvati astride a horse.

Hi Butch, wellcome to the forum. Here are some agates for every body to enjoy it.
All the best
Yankee

..., are my Tibetan zi beads, seen here in their present incarnation..., and seen below in a previous version. Just for fun, try to spot the fake zi beads in the former version.

Jamey

This is a necklace of Tibetan zi beads that I made for my best client, about two years ago. (The small filler beads are wood prayer beads.)

JDA.

Here's a site that is a fool's-gold mine of misinformation....

JDA.

A group of ancient etched or decorated agates (carnelian), from my collection.