Coral
Paternoster Beads (also known as Rosary Beads)
The
entry is a “paternoster” string or glass bead rosary. I designed the strand based on surviving
examples from the 15th century (see picture).
I created my own look based upon this example. The bead is wound[1]
using the same technique used in the 9th through 15th century. I used the color coral emulating actual sea
coral, as was also the practice (Dubin,
76). The belief was that coral had
protective powers. I chose the color
blue because I liked the contrast to the coral and both colors were used during
the 13th to 16th centuries in all catholic Kingdoms. There are 10 prayer beads in each
section. Each section is divided by 1
large bead. There are 4 sections. The size of the beads allowed the user to say
prayers by feel. Many early rosaries
were sometimes the same size bead in a continuous strand. I liked the even way the larger beads looked
when the rosary was laid out (makes a cross).
Each bead is separated by a tiny bead.
This “separator” bead holds no prayer purpose. They are there for aesthetic purposes
only. The cross was made in the same way
as each of the beads. It took some
manipulation to create the arms, for they were wrapped. Knowing just where and when to put it in the
fire and then take it out was crucial to it’s creation. I added the blue points to decorate.
The English word “bead” is derived from the Old English word “biddan” which means “to pray”. After the 14th century, the term “paternostri” was commonly used in Murano and Venice, Italy, as the definition of beads (Jargstorf, 28). The term “rosary” was acquired because the Virgin Mary was often depicted standing in rose gardens which was an ideal place for meditation and prayer. Often she was pictured holding a string of beads (Dubin, 86).
I was inspired by the history of glass beads during the time period 14th to the 16th century in Europe when the church did not allow “showy” things. They did allow rosary beads. It was during this time period the catholic church created the need for glass beads by encouraging this praying tool. The use of the rosary was met with enthusiasm for it permitted people to display a bit of ornamentation under the approval of the church (see attached picture of German woodcut).
Early rosaries were amulet strings, and were used to encourage pagan peoples to convert to Catholicism. One of the earliest elements used for amulet beads was coral. Coral was believed to protect the wearer from illness and other harmful things (Dubin, 90). The paternoster string on display was made to emulate a coral stone. I used a coral glass rod to create the coral bead. I used a blue glass rod to create the blue beads. To copy a gemstone or other natural element was common practice for bead makers (Jargstorf, 32).
Early beadmakers used oil lamps for a flame. To make the fire hot enough to melt glass, a blast of oxygen was injected into the flame with either a bellows or by mouth (see attached picture). It was a dangerous craft, for the person often times went blind from staring into the flame. Today we wear didymium glasses which protect our eyes from the yellow flare of the fire. This yellow flare is caused by the vaporization of sodium from the glass (Hoyt, 16). I also use the safer modern tools to work in the fire; a special nozzle to use with Mapp gas or Oxygen/Propane mix. Though the tools I use are modern, the technique is the same used in the middle ages. Once a glass rod is melted in the flame, it is then wound on a metal rod. Decorative techniques depend on the type of bead you are making. Practice gives you the ability to judge how much glass you need to make small and large beads. You must constantly turn the rod to get a round bead. After the glass has ‘struck” (become solid) the rod with the bead is then put in a material that will allow “annealing[2]’. If the bead is not annealed, it will crack. The annealing process allows the glass to cool evenly, meaning the inside of the bead will cool at the same pace as the outside. In the middle ages they would put the wound glass beads in ovens to anneal. Today we use Kilns. I happen to use a crock pot filled with vermiculite which works great for annealing beads.
The glass material used to make the beads are in the form of glass rods. During the middle ages, glass rods were made in Venetian factories and sold to bead makers. The practice continues today. I buy the glass rods to make the beads. It is my plan, one of these days, to create my own glass rods out of silica, soda and lime, potash and color additives (Dunham, 23).
The cord for the rosary is a blue cotton cord. I used a lucet to braid the cord. I chose the blue because it matched the color of the blue glass so well. Lucets were discovered in Viking graves at York. I hand-carved the lucet I used to make the cord. (Vikings did not manufacture beads on a large scale, but since they traveled and were responsible for transferring technology around Europe, it can safely be assumed they did the same for the lucet.) The lucet makes a strong cord. Glass beads were strung on anything that would endure them.
Four strands of cord were used to braid the large portion of the rosary. The large strand held the beads together for a better hold while praying. I decreased that to 2 strands when I got to the section that holds the cross and tassel. This facilitated the “dangle” portion. Tassels were often used to decorate rosaries (Jargstorf, 51). I made the tassel from the same material I made the cord because the color matched so well.
Please feel free to hold the beads. Even say a prayer or two if you wish.
[1] the method of wrapping molten glass around a metal rod to create a glass bead (Jenkins, 9).
[2] annealing is the process of cooling the glass so that the inner core and the outer core cool simultaneously (Hoyt, 92).
The English word “bead” is derived from the Old English word “biddan” which means “to pray”. After the 14th century, the term “paternostri” was commonly used in Murano and Venice, Italy, as the definition of beads (Jargstorf, 28). The term “rosary” was acquired because the Virgin Mary was often depicted standing in rose gardens which was an ideal place for meditation and prayer. Often she was pictured holding a string of beads (Dubin, 86).
I was inspired by the history of glass beads during the time period 14th to the 16th century in Europe when the church did not allow “showy” things. They did allow rosary beads. It was during this time period the catholic church created the need for glass beads by encouraging this praying tool. The use of the rosary was met with enthusiasm for it permitted people to display a bit of ornamentation under the approval of the church (see attached picture of German woodcut).
Early rosaries were amulet strings, and were used to encourage pagan peoples to convert to Catholicism. One of the earliest elements used for amulet beads was coral. Coral was believed to protect the wearer from illness and other harmful things (Dubin, 90). The paternoster string on display was made to emulate a coral stone. I used a coral glass rod to create the coral bead. I used a blue glass rod to create the blue beads. To copy a gemstone or other natural element was common practice for bead makers (Jargstorf, 32).
Early beadmakers used oil lamps for a flame. To make the fire hot enough to melt glass, a blast of oxygen was injected into the flame with either a bellows or by mouth (see attached picture). It was a dangerous craft, for the person often times went blind from staring into the flame. Today we wear didymium glasses which protect our eyes from the yellow flare of the fire. This yellow flare is caused by the vaporization of sodium from the glass (Hoyt, 16). I also use the safer modern tools to work in the fire; a special nozzle to use with Mapp gas or Oxygen/Propane mix. Though the tools I use are modern, the technique is the same used in the middle ages. Once a glass rod is melted in the flame, it is then wound on a metal rod. Decorative techniques depend on the type of bead you are making. Practice gives you the ability to judge how much glass you need to make small and large beads. You must constantly turn the rod to get a round bead. After the glass has ‘struck” (become solid) the rod with the bead is then put in a material that will allow “annealing[2]’. If the bead is not annealed, it will crack. The annealing process allows the glass to cool evenly, meaning the inside of the bead will cool at the same pace as the outside. In the middle ages they would put the wound glass beads in ovens to anneal. Today we use Kilns. I happen to use a crock pot filled with vermiculite which works great for annealing beads.
The glass material used to make the beads are in the form of glass rods. During the middle ages, glass rods were made in Venetian factories and sold to bead makers. The practice continues today. I buy the glass rods to make the beads. It is my plan, one of these days, to create my own glass rods out of silica, soda and lime, potash and color additives (Dunham, 23).
The cord for the rosary is a blue cotton cord. I used a lucet to braid the cord. I chose the blue because it matched the color of the blue glass so well. Lucets were discovered in Viking graves at York. I hand-carved the lucet I used to make the cord. (Vikings did not manufacture beads on a large scale, but since they traveled and were responsible for transferring technology around Europe, it can safely be assumed they did the same for the lucet.) The lucet makes a strong cord. Glass beads were strung on anything that would endure them.
Four strands of cord were used to braid the large portion of the rosary. The large strand held the beads together for a better hold while praying. I decreased that to 2 strands when I got to the section that holds the cross and tassel. This facilitated the “dangle” portion. Tassels were often used to decorate rosaries (Jargstorf, 51). I made the tassel from the same material I made the cord because the color matched so well.
Please feel free to hold the beads. Even say a prayer or two if you wish.
[1] the method of wrapping molten glass around a metal rod to create a glass bead (Jenkins, 9).
[2] annealing is the process of cooling the glass so that the inner core and the outer core cool simultaneously (Hoyt, 92).