Very impressive. Never saw these in real!

Rosanna, I haven't encountered the words Adjagba or Zagba beads before. Please tell me more. I think I have one in my stash.

From the internet: Also called azagba, zagba, or adjaba, these large powder glass beads are made by the Krobo people of Ghana. Usually formed in clay molds, the beads measure up to 5 cm long and range from nearly cylindrical to barrel shaped, and sometimes biconical. Adjagba typically have a yellow or ochre matrix with a grainy texture, which is decorated with longitudinal stripes, often twisted into spirals, in black, blue, green, brown, or red. Occasionally the beads are further embellished with spots, circles, or equatorial bands. The designs are made by funneling contrasting colors of powdered glass into the mold or inserting pre-formed glass elements.

Hello Robin,

Your description is largely accurate. In the process of making these beads they were removed from the molds. twisted, and replaced. Offhand, I cannot think of any versions that have pre-made inserts: though other types of powderglass beads may have them. Zagba are distinct from older powderglass beads, but were most-likely inspired by them. Modern (post 1960s) beads diverged considerably, though new traditional-looking beads might be made at any time.

I took a hands-on class to experience powderglass beadmaking, in 2005. This is a photo of me charging a mold. Followed by the actual beads I made. I cannot say I learned anything I didn't already know about powderglass beadmaking. But it was rewarding, to have experienced it.

JDA.

You can see examples of different types of adjagba in one of the Picards' exhibits on Ghanaian beads:

https://www.picardbeads.com/e_archive/archive2/exhibit2.html

Hello Robin,

The idea that beads might be "duplicates," implies some sort of substitute or falsification. However, zagba (also adjagba) are traditional beads in Ghana--and it is very likely that many editions of them have been made and circulated (since approximately the 1940s). I would not want to judge the probable age of these beads from a photo.

["Duplicates" is one of those words, like "original," that is often used for beads, but used incorrectly. I discourage both in many situations.]

JDA.