File:Early Medieval glass bead (FindID 441389).jpg

English: A monochrone translucent light blue glass bead of probable Early Medieval date. The bead is annular and is D shaped in section. The central hole is 7.6mm in diameter, but worn on one side to a length of 8.5mm. This may be how it was made, or may indicate that it was suspended from a wire loop like similar examples on page 130 of Walton-Rogers (2007) which date from the mid 7th century. There are air bubbles in the glass and the bead is thicker on one side than the other.

Beads are difficult to date in general. Ellen Swift notes that annular beads are only found in the latest Roman contexts; from the 4th century onwards (Roman Dress Accessories 2003). Monochrome annular glass beads are relatively common finds in middle Anglo-Saxon cemeteries and have been recovered in some numbers from Anglo-Scandinavian levels in York (page 1380 of Anglian and Other Finds from Fishergate, Rogers 1993). In York, annular glass beads have also been found in contexts as late as the 12th century (2591 onwards in Finds from Anglo_Scandinavian York by Mainman and Rogers, 2000). It is therefore not possible to be certain of the date of this example, but a middle Early Medieval date of about 600 - 900 AD is perhaps the most likely.