Dear Kelly,
Hello! YOu are probably dealing with some prayer rope?
In this link you can get an idea of a very commonly used plant derived
bead from a plant called in Greek 'τα δάκρυα της Παναγίας' meaning
Virgin Mary's tears. It is Coix lacriba jobi. At one of the IWGPs
there was a talk/poster about them I think but cannot remember which
one. It probably resulted in the following paper:
Jiang, H., Wang, B., Li X., Lü, E.G., Li, C.S., 2008. A consideration
of the involucre remains of Coix lacryma-jobi L. (Poaceae) in the
Sampula Cemetery (2000 years BP), Xinjiang, China. Journal of
Archaeological Science 35, 1311-1316 (SCI/SSCI). PDF
The pictures of the black ones you have do not look like this but the
white ones could bear some resemblance.
http://www.palaeoethnobotany.com/download/iwgp15_programme_abstracts.pdf
http://www.athonian.gr/prayer-ropes/tear-of-virgin-mary/
In this link below there are several photos of such beads and where it
grows. It seems that it is grown on MOunt Athos (dedicated to Virgin
Mary, no women allowed).
I found this link where the picture showing 'adlai' seeds bears
resemblance to your white ones I think.
http://foodrecap.net/recipe/milling-cracking-light-adlai/
The lady in this link is making jewelry out of seeds so if you have
facebook (I do not) you could show her your photos, too, she might
know. She used to have a shop near the University of Thessaloniki many
years ago.
https://el-gr.facebook.com/kosmimata.apo.sporous
Hope it helps,
Tania
Quoting Kelly Reed <[log in to unmask]>:
> Dear All,
> I'm just sorting some samples from a 5th Century AD cemetery in
> Croatia and have come across a grave with some small beads. There
> are some coloured stone ones, but I also found some black and 2
> white ones that look a bit weird! I wondered if they were from
> plants! Attached are some pictures. The black ones are all around
> 3-4mm and the larger white ones about 5-6mm.
>
> Any suggestions as to what they may be? Any help would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Many thanksKelly
>
> P.S If you reply to this email please delete
> [log in to unmask] unless you want to reply to everyone!
Soultana Maria Valamoti-Kapetanaki,
Associate Professor,
Dept of Archaeology,
School of History and Archaeology,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Greece
http://www.hist.auth.gr/en/content/valamoti-soultana-maria
http://iwgp-2013.web.auth.gr/
http://auth.academia.edu/SoultanaValamoti
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