Malachite Beads

Malachite beads have been a valued gemstone since ancient times.  Ancient Egyptians wore malachite in jewelry and used it for carving ornaments.  Later on Russian czars commonly used it as a  decorative stone.  The name actually comes from the Greek word malachitis, referring to it’s resemblance of mallow plant leaves.

The stone is marked with bands of concentric striping in contrasting shades of greens, to almost black layers.  When polished, it shows intricate and fascinating patterns.  They make beautiful beads!

The largest deposits of malachite are found in copper mining areas in the Shaba province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This is where our bead material is from.

To learn more about malachite stone, take a look at our blog!