The Bead Resource Directory

Millefiori Bead

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Also Known As: Mosaic

Time Periods:7 - 8th century and later

Cultures: Associated mostly with Italy,
 also produced in the middle and Far East.

Notes of Interest

These beads originated later than most beads in the SCA scope of time.
Their name comes from the unique method/materials which make them.  They are made from cut "cane" whose original design resembled little flowers, "millefiori".  These "canes" were made with full size rods of glass, which were then heated and "pulled" to make them much smaller. These canes were then cut, creating small disks of the design, called murrine.  These disks were then melted into a plain bead, giving it a beautiful pattern. Often they covered the entire bead, however graves have given us finds where only 1 or a few pieces of millefiori were used in a bead.  Over time, the popularity in various cultures of these beads has changed.  Most recently, they have come mostly from Indian cultures.