The Indus Civilization c7.22

c7.22

By cementing two or more different stones together, beads were sometimes made up to simulate well-marked, or perhaps more valuable specimens. A barrel-shaped bead of this nature, although only 0·49 inch long, was made up of no less than five alternate segments of red carnelian and white or blue chalcedony; it was so carefully constructed that its compound character might never have been detected if it had not fallen to pieces in the copper canister in which it was found. Another bead, made to imitate an onyx, had two faces, one of shell and the other of pink limestone. This was not so successful a piece of work, if it be assumed that such compound beads were designed to deceive buyers who regarded regularly veined stones as being more precious than if irregularly veined.