Making Kimmeridge Shale Beads

I've been working with the jet -like material Kimmeridge Shale to make prehistoric style beads.

There is also a video on collecting shale and jet in my previous videos.

[sigrid]

This is lovely for today's fashion as well.

[mattsadventureswithart]

That was fab. Thank you for sharing this knowledge and your skills to let us all know that we can make these beautiful things.

[paulinemegson]

This was very cool. I love the way jewellery has ALWAYS been a part of being human. Adornment, and making things with which to adorn oneself are surer signs of humanity to me than speech, religion or any other social construct. EVERY human has wanted and made if they could, things to decorate themselves. Thank you for this Sally.

[emmabroughton]

Fascinating, thank you, Sally. I had never heard of Kimmeridge Shale before this and it's always interesting to learn about a new (to me) material and it's uses.

[Beryllahawk]

Oh you got my attention INSTANTLY with this one - I adore beads, have made a few myself, but out of modern materials of course. Those are perfectly lovely!! And thinking on how much work that took even with such soft stone really, really puts a new perspective on just how important having such adornment must have been. I know you've said it was just an afternoon's worth of work, and compared to many many other types of preparation and materials I believe you that shale beads are "easy" - as much as anything was easy for Paleolithic folks. But it's still an entire afternoon spent on something beautiful rather than on gathering food in some manner or tending to shelter. And that alone says how much we humans have always needed beautiful things right along with our bread and meat. It nourishes us, doesn't it? And I love the idea of gathering in lots of pretty stones, bone bits, scraps of wood or attractive seeds and nuts, just to be able to spend maybe a little time in winter on creating pretty things for yourself and your community. The REALLY lovely things, that would have taken more work (thinking of semi precious stones that are harder than shale), those were for special occasions and higher status folks perhaps, but bones and nutshells could have been for anyone, couldn't they!

[dorrud]

Thank you for continuing to share your knowledge 🥰🥰

[sarahs]

Interesting, thank you. I used to go fossil hunting with my father at kimmeridge bay as a child. I wonder if people might have incorporated amonites and other small fossils into necklaces, along with the shale etc? They may be too hard to drill holes for the string with hand tools though.

[sarahjarden]

Lots of work there! Beautiful looking necklace. Just asking, I know we (modern day folk) get hung up on symmetry, were people in history bothered about symmetry?

[morganpresley]

Can you make a video showing how hand drilling works? Since you've mentioned it in the past few videos, I've gotten curious about it!

Thanks as always for the excellent videos! I've learned so much from your channel! :D

[charredbirchguy]

When cutting the shale, try placing a cloth in the direction that the pieces fly off, to catch them. You won't have to go fetch them, and they'll be less likely to hit something and crack.

[ClockworkFaery]

I might have a go at making some beads. Thank you. ❤

[Eli-umgx]

Perhaps this is a basic question, and more to do with the amount of time you had, but I'm curious if the beads found ever had more elaborate carving on them, since the material is so soft?

[hydrophobicbathtowel]

Place a piece of cloth over the end before striking the blade so it hits the cloth and stays nearby?

[catastrfy]

oooh, beautiful! i didn't know shales made beautiful beads and i am entranced. so lovely with the amber!

[linr]

Oh, these are beautiful...
I was wondering. You mentioned dyed bone; what would it have been dyed with?

[suzz]

Try putting a thin piece of leather or cloth over the 'pencil' so when u wack it the bead blank doesnt fly everywhere. I can just imagine the stone age people having to chase the blanks all over a cave or something and they wouldnt be able to find them, so they probably would have used something to prevent that.

[lajsa]

You are such a wonderful storyteller/teacher, thank you for teaching me something I have wondered forever! What an amazing material. Do you know if this type of shale or something similar exists in the Nordics? I am struggling a bit with the language barrier of rock names, but I want to make beads! A few years ago you taught me (through youtube) how to make corgage or string from nettles, and now you have me hooked on trying another skill!

[Linden]

Another really interesting video - thank you - and the finished beads are beautiful! I’m curious though, does the beeswax and leather give the shale a permanent shine, or would the wearer have needed to re-polish the beads occasionally?

[sillyjellyfish]

Write it down! Write it down!

But seriously, this couldn't have come in a btter moment. I'm putting together a na'vi cosplay for the summer con season and i was struggling with figuring out how to make beads for the necklace that wouldn't look awfully plastic or pre-made. The leather and beeswax polishing method looks so simple and straightforward i can't believe that i never heard of it before. Thanks for teaching me about the beadmaking today ❤

[MoniqueAO]

Your videos are always so informative and precious...thank you for sharing !!!