File:Post medieval glass beads and wire (FindID 251382).jpg

English: A fragment of bead work jewellery, probably post medieval in date. It consists of six complete and five broken lengths of very fine gauge copper wire, 0.4mm in diameter and 14.3mm in length. Each complete length is looped at both ends and the five lengths and two broken pieces are joined together to form a continuous chain. Each complete length carries a pair of cylindrical sectioned, yellow glass beads which are 3.2mm in diameter and 2mm thick. Another complete length is attached to a broken pieces, and there are two further broken pieces which are joined to each other. There are also four unattached beads. The colour of the beads rules out a Roman date, and the style does not match Early Medieval examples. The wire is very uniform and appears to be machine drawn rather than hand made. This suggests a post medieval date of 1650 onwards. Further fragments of this object are reported to have been found by other finders at the same time that this was found. The fine wire is very delicate. Glass beads of this size found in London are dated to c.1630 onwards by associated tobacco pipes, and it is suggested that they were used for stump work (figurative raised embroidery often including beads) (Egan 2005, page 55). This example is not from stump work as the beads are threaded onto wire, but they may have a similar date.