The name Heishi‚ comes to us from the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and can be translated as shell bead. The earliest recorded beads were made using the Heishi technique. Heishi is produced by perforating shell fragments, threading them on wire, and then grinding them into disk shapes against a stone. Whereas Heishi originally referred only to shell beads made with this technique, the term is now applied to disk-shaped beads made from almost any natural material. This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the raffia holding it together is not durable and may break with use. For this reason, we recommend that you restring the beads before wearing them. Photo is an example. Yours will be similar. You are purchasing one. Strand Length: 24 inches (includes string/raffia)Bead Size: 7-8 mm diameter. See picture with penny for size comparison. U.S. penny is 19mm in diameter. 150304
