Beads have been used to create jewelry and adorn costumes since the dawn of time. If you were to look back on the Ice Age you would discover small objects crafted of natural "beads" including animal bones and teeth, seashells and colorful stones. These items were usually attached to clothe or plant fibers to form the most primitive forms of beaded jewelry.

Beading jewelry symbolizes many different things for different people; different cultures have associated beads with varying spiritual beliefs, cultural customs and social traditions. Beads, like many other cheap jewelry items, have been used throughout time to adorn the bodies of men and women alike, signifying power, beauty and the human spirit.
The very first actual "beads" that have been discovered date back to about 38,000 BC. Making by cavemen, these beads were crafted from animal parts. In later times, beads were crafted as symbols of fertility and animal spirits.

During the stone age, beads were crafted primarily to SPadorning the body; they were also used for trading on occasion however. A couple thousand years later, beads were crafted out of coral and other "precious" substances. In ancient Greece there evidence that carnelian beads and beads made of wealthy members worn lapis lazuli of society. The use of semi-precious stone beads began to become more popular about 2800 BC among the Syrians, who fashioned beads of materials like agate and serpentine.

Since that time beaded jewelry has become more and more valuable and popular. Gold and other semi-precious stones are often used to craft beaded jewelry.
Perhaps the most popular form of beaded jewelry is glass jewelry. Evidence of the first glass beads suggests that glassmaking was common in Mesopotamia around 2180 BC. Glass beads were popular then and are popular now in part because of their durability and inexpensive pricing. The Egyptian and Phoenician culture are well known for their use of glass to make beaded jewelry. Beading jewelry was commonly found buried with wealthy pharaohs in the ancient tombs of Egypt, though it was not uncommon for glass beads to be buried with poor families as well.

In modern times beaded jewelry is popular because of its versatility and diversity. Beads can be crafted from almost any material including the following:
• Coral/seashells
• Gemstones
• Glass
• Rock Crystal
• Gold
• Silver
• Stone
• Pearls

Beads can even be crafted out of plastic.Though in times of old beads served as symbols of status, wealth and heritage, today beaded jewelry is more much representative of the persons unique style preferences and personality. Beading jewelry can be custom made in almost any style, using any type of chain and any type/combination of beads.

Beaded jewelry is just as popular today, if not more popular than it was in ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian times. Buying online is easy, and perhaps the best option for bead savvy and not so savvy consumers alike. Buying online eliminates the hassle of traveling from store to store, which can take days or more to find the right beads or beaded jewelry. By shopping on cheap wholesale jewelry, you have literally tens of thousands of unique selections to choose from. Though no longer traded for food, modern jewelry enthusiasts often engage in bead trading for fun and camaraderie.