| |
| | authentic art, beads, artifacts, collectible treasures from ancient civilizations: Egypt, Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia |
 | | The great civilizations of Sumer, Akkadia, and Ur (in present day Iraq) of the third millennium BCE, as well as the later cultures throughout the Eastern Mediterranean (Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, etc.), were rich bead-producing regions, for a long expanse of time. |
 | | However, because imported materials were dear, and difficult to acquire, cunning craftsmen sought other avenues of expression, that resulted in the development of artificial materials that were suitable for bead making—namely, faience, “Egyptian blue” or kyanos, and, of course, glass. |
 | | It was at Akkadia that iron was first smelted, faience was produced—and these two technologies were combined to facilitate the development of glassmaking. |
| ancientbeadsandartifacts.com /abaa/information.php?info_id=7 (275 words) |
|