" Beads are a precious gift to mankind, older than the dawn of civilization. Ages ago, in the caves of Ice Age Europe and northern China, in the huge wilderness of Australia, in equatorial India, and in the western Great Basin of North America, humans were adorning small objects of seashells and colorful stones and animal bones and teeth strung on plant fiber to decorate their bodies and clothing. During the consequent eras, mankind's fascination with the infinite variety, beauty, mystery and charisma of beads has continued till the present day."