Crinoid Fossil Beads, Natural and Colorful, Two Sizes - FREE US SHIPPING

Sections of 300 million year old crinoid stem fossils were used to make the beads in this listing. Beads such as these were once worn and prized by many Native American peoples and they can add a unique and natural touch to any piece of jewelry or other creation where stone beads are desired.

The fossils are gathered from a Central Texas location that provides material in a wide range of natural colors, something not typically found in crinoid fossils. Though the hues can be subtle, they are found in shades of pink, purple, gray, red, tan, yellow, white, black and some that are multicolored.

The beads are available in two different diameters:

Smaller beads will be between 7 and 12 mm in diameter. Each set will contain 20 to 24 individual fossil beads and will be an amount equal to a 8 inch strand length (the amount necessary to create a single strand 8 inches long if the beads are placed end-to-end).

Larger beads will have diameters falling between 12 and 16 mm. These sets will contain 8 to 10 pieces that will be equal to a 4 inch strand length (the amount necessary to create a single strand 4 inches long if the beads are placed end-to-end).

Bead length, or thickness, will vary and will range from 2 mm to 24 mm. These are center drilled with holes measuring 1.5 to 2 mm, although a portion of the beads feature naturally occurring holes that can be as large as 4 mm. The ends of some beads have been sanded to remove sediments. All will be shipped unstrung

All beads featured in the listing photos were selected at random in order to provide an accurate representation of the available material. Each order will include beads of multiple colors with the variety being dependent on the pieces available at that time of shipment.

Shipping within the United States is included in the listing price. Reduced pricing is available for larger orders - please contact us for details.


More Information about the fossils:

The crinoid stem fossils in this listing are fossilized portions of animals that lived approximately 300 million years ago in a sea that covered most of Texas. They are sometimes referred to as "Indian Beads" since they are known to have been worn by the indigenous people of North America.

Crinoids resembled plants, having a cup like structure called a "Calyx" positioned atop a stalk-like body that was anchored to the ocean bottom. Feather-like arms extended from the calyx, capturing food as it floated by. Small arms called "Cirri" extended from the stalk, grabbing nearby objects to further anchor the animal. The spots where the cirri emerged from the stem can be seen on a portion of the beads, appearing as circular bumps.