Crinoid Fossil Beads, Choose Exact Strand, Natural and Colorful, Multiple Sizes - Free US SHIPPING

The beads in this listing are sections of 300 million year old crinoid stem fossils. 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 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.


There are 14 different bead strands available in this listing. All are shown in the photos and are identifiable using their associated letter. The details for each strand are listed below.

"Diameter" notes the size in millimeters of the smallest and largest bead diameters found within a strand.

"Bead Length" is the measurement in millimeters of the thinnest and thickest beads in a strand. This is the amount of space the bead will occupy on the cord when strung.

"Quantity" is the total number of individual beads on a strand.

"Strand Length" is the length in inches when all beads on a strand are placed end-to-end.

A - Diameter: 6 to 8.5mm, Bead Length: 1.5 to 5.5mm, Quantity: 51 beads, Strand Length: 6 In.
B - Diameter: 6.5 to 8mm, Bead Length: 8 to 12mm, Quantity: 20 beads, Strand Length: 8-1/4 In.
C - Diameter: 6.5 to 9mm, Bead Length: 1.5 to 13mm, Quantity: 40 beads, Strand Length: 8-1/4 In.
D - Diameter: 6.5 to 10mm, Bead Length: 1 to 3mm, Quantity: 33 beads, Strand Length: 3-1/2 In.

E - Diameter: 7 to 10mm, Bead Length: 2 to 16mm, Quantity: 17 beads, Strand Length: 5 In.
F - Diameter: 7 to 10mm, Bead Length: 1.5 to 19mm, Quantity: 16 beads, Strand Length: 5 In.
G - Diameter: 7 to 10mm, Bead Length: 1 to 3mm, Quantity: 35 beads, Strand Length: 3-1/2 In.
H - Diameter: 7 to 12mm, Bead Length: 2 to 17.5mm, Quantity: 33 beads, Strand Length: 10 In.

I - Diameter: 7.5 to 12mm, Bead Length: 3 to 14.5mm, Quantity: 24 beads, Strand Length: 10 In.
J - Diameter: 8 to 10mm, Bead Length: 7 to 16.5mm, Quantity: 21 beads, Strand Length: 7-1/8 In.
K - Diameter: 8 to 10mm, Bead Length: 18 to 25mm, Quantity: 13 beads, Strand Length: 10 In.

L - Diameter: 8.5 to 11.5mm, Bead Length: 1.5 to 21mm, Quantity: 29 beads, Strand Length: 10 In.
M - Diameter: 10 to 12mm, Bead Length: 9 to 25.5mm, Quantity: 15 beads, Strand Length: 10 In.
N - Diameter: 11 to 13mm, Bead Length: 7 to 21mm, Quantity: 8 beads, Strand Length: 5 In.

Shipping within the United States is included in the listing prices.
We can no longer ship items to destinations within Germany due to VerpackG regulations.


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.