These are drawings of glass beads unearthed from a Frankish cemetery in the unfortunately named French town of Herpes. They date to around AD 500. I assume they were made by surviving Roman glass factories, probably in the south of France. What I find striking about these beads is that some of these types are still made. Look, for example, at no. 115 in the top photo; I am sure you can buy that one at Beadworks. The manufacture of glass beads must be a very conservative art.
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