Discovering a magnificent African gem: the Bodom pearl

Bodom Bead: the royal secret of African recycled glass beads

At Perles Rares Djonou, every piece of jewelry is an encounter between history, patience, and artisanal excellence. We invite you to discover a mythical and majestic bead: the Bodom bead, a treasure of the Krobo people, handcrafted from recycled glass.

🔶 What is a Bodom bead?

The Bodom bead is one of the most famous recycled glass beads from West Africa. Made using an ancestral technique by Krobo artisans in Ghana, it stands out for its imposing size, symbolic richness, and meticulous manufacturing from powdered glass, often sourced from recycled materials.

Long reserved for kings and queens, the Bodom bead takes its name from the word Bodom, which means "dog" in the Akan language—a reference to the barking that draws attention. Thus, the Bodom bead is not just a piece of jewelry: it is a symbol of visibility, power, and distinction.

Thus, if you go to a Ghanaian market, you will ask for "the beads of the kings"

- Manufacturing: an art that requires patience and mastery

Creating a Bodom recycled glass bead is a work of goldsmithing. This entirely manual process requires a lot of time, precision, and know-how. Each bead is created from crushed, melted recycled glass, then shaped layer by layer to form complex patterns.

Unlike surface painting, the patterns of Bodom beads are integrated into the material through a superposition of colored glass layers. This process, derived from ancient techniques, guarantees the longevity, uniqueness, and visual depth of each piece.

- Several hours, sometimes several days, are needed to shape a single bead. It is this precious slowness, this extreme care, that makes each Bodom bead a work of art.

- Colors, shapes, and meanings

The most traditional color is yellow, a symbol of health, prosperity, maturity, and long life—values dear to chiefs and royal families. Today, the beads come in a wider palette, but yellow remains an exceptional shade.

Each Bodom bead is also named according to the shape of its patterns:

• Arkoso Bodom: historically reserved for royal families

• Alutoto

• Zagba

• Ajiagba

These names bear witness to a deep cultural richness. Wearing these beads means wearing a collective memory, a millennial heritage.

- A heritage passed down from generation to generation

The antique Bodom recycled glass beads are today true collector's items. Some families have kept them for generations as family treasures, passed down with pride and emotion. Their value is not only aesthetic: it is historical, cultural, and emotional.

 Perles Rares Djonou: revealing the soul of artisanal African beads

At Perles Rares Djonou, we are passionate about authenticity and the preservation of African know-how. Our beads come from direct partnerships with artisans in Ghana, respecting traditions while giving them a contemporary dimension.

You can access the Bodom bead only through a custom order!

We select each recycled glass bead for its beauty, quality, and history. Our jewelry does not follow trends: it transcends them.