African societies have produced ostrich eggshell beads for over 50,000 years. These beads are still used in East Africa and other regions. However, the only well-documented ethnographic records of their manufacture come from the San and Bakgalagadi communities in the Kalahari region of southern Africa. Despite this, some aspects of their social significance remain largely unexplored.

Historically, research on ostrich eggshell beads in southern Africa has focused mainly on their use in exchange contexts, with less emphasis on their role in bodily adornment or the social contexts of their manufacture and consumption. This talk reports on the production process of ostrich eggshell beads and their cultural significance among the El Molo community of Marsabit County, Kenya.

Undertaken as part of the British Museum’s Endangered Materials Knowledge Program (EMKP), this project utilized unstructured interviews, participatory videos, photography, and note-taking to document the entire process of ostrich eggshell bead manufacture. It also examined the social significance of the different types of necklaces made from these beads within the community.