Since its first publication in 1987 as The History of Beads, this book has become the world’s definitive guide for bead lovers, collectors and scholars. In this new edition, Lois Sherr Dubin updates all chapters with the latest archaeological discoveries; adds a new chapter on contemporary adornment since the 1980s, with a focus on glass beads; and revises and adds 225 beads to the book’s pièce de resistance: the 8-page gatefold timeline that guides readers through the remarkably rich history of the world’s first form of adornment. The latest revisions include an update on the oldest bead ever discovered, now dating to around 100,000 BC, and an explanation on why beads worn on the human body were the original media communication system. Other updates include the numerous maps, which have been modernized and are now in colour; approximately 70 formerly black-and white images have been changed to full colour; and 200 new photographs have been taken specially for this edition. Beautifully packaged with a new cover, this revised and expanded edition is a must-have for bead obsessives and aficionados.


Lois Sherr Dubin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in landscape architecture and a strong background in ecology. Her international practice in this field enabled her to travel widely and to obtain beads from many countries. The History of Beads was her first book, the result of more than 30 years of research, collecting and lecturing on beads.