How Do The Krobo Make Their Famous Beads?

The first step is to prepare a furnace, measuring about two feet (.6 meter) in diameter and about two feet in height. It is carefully constructed from good, heat-resistant clay obtained from a nearby riverbank. Several iron rods are laid across the furnace just above the point where the fire will be.

Next the craftsman makes several molds from the same clay. These consist of tablets, about six inches (15 centimeters) square and about one inch (2.5 centimeters) in thickness, punched with holes measuring anywhere from one quarter to three quarters of an inch (about 6 to 18 millimeters) in diameter, and about half an inch (12 millimeters) or so in depth. The materials for making the beads will be put into these holes. Both the furnace and the molds are left to dry hard in the sun. When well dried the molds are carefully polished with chalky limestone so that the inside and edges of the holes are very smooth. After preparing his furnace and molds, the native worker will select his raw materials for the beads.

The basic substance used to make the beads is called soso. It is usually yellowish in color and is finely ground glass, silica or porcelain. The grinding is done on a smooth stone and then the powder is carefully sieved. The material for the contrasting colors is prepared likewise.

The craftsman moistens the basic powder slightly with a little water when pouring the substance into the holes in the clay tablets. Next he inserts a very thin stick of wood into the middle of the powder all the way to the bottom of the hole.  After the basic material for the beads is put into the mold, four or more small holes are bored into the wet powder around the stick at predetermined intervals. Into these holes colored glass powder is poured. This results in the designs and patterns that make the beads so fascinating and attractive. After all the holes in the molds are filled the tablets are ready for the furnace.

The craftsman lays the tablets on the iron rods in the furnace, places a quantity of dry hardwood under the rods and sets fire to it. To increase the intensity of the heat to a temperature sufficient to melt the glass, silica or porcelain, he uses bellows. When the molds are seen to contain molten materials only, they are quickly hooked out of the furnace. Then the Krobo artisan holds each mold—carefully so as not to burn himself—and gives it an expert shake, twist or knock. This serves to blend or intermingle the colors so as to form the desired patterns. The tablets then are set aside to cool. Later, the individual beads are extracted from the tiny molds by inserting a pointed hook into the holes that were formed when the thin sticks burned away as the substance surrounding them melted in the furnace.


The workman next takes a rough flat stone and rubs the crude bead on it to remove most of the irregularities and blemishes. Then, using a smooth flat stone, he carefully brings the bead to a high degree of finish and polish. The completed bead glows softly and attractively. With the stringing of the beads, the work is completed.