Three archaeological sites have been identified in the tiger-inhabited island region of West Bengal from where, between about 2,200 and 1,700 years ago, golden beads were exported to various ports both within India and abroad. These beads were produced using a unique and sophisticated technique. Archaeologists refer to this type of bead as gold foil.

Before gold foil beads could be made, local artisans had to master the craft of glassmaking. From very ancient times, artisans of the Indian subcontinent were highly skilled in producing semi-precious stone beads and glass. A study of archaeological sites from the early historic period across undivided 24 Parganas shows that local artisans of Lower Bengal were as proficient in stone bead production as their contemporaries in centres such as Ahichchhatra, Mathura, Vidisha, and Sarnath. In some cases, they even demonstrated superior craftsmanship. However, in the early stages of glass bead production, they initially depended on external craftsmen.

In the Sundarbans, colourful glass beads do not appear before around 2,300 years ago. About 50–100 years later, we begin to see the production of gold foil beads alongside various glass and stone beads in the region.

Gold foil—or golden—beads were made by encasing a small amount of gold dust or thin gold sheet within a layer of glass, using an intricate decorative technique. The gold dust was sourced locally by filtering river-borne sand. This may sound surprising, but several rivers in the past carried gold particles. Names such as Subarnarekha, Hiranyabaha, Son, and Sonai are not accidental. Even about twenty years ago, I personally saw a college student collecting gold dust in a small homeopathy vial by walking along the banks of the Dabu River near Canning.

The illustrated gold foil bead shown here was discovered on Bijre or Bijiria Island. It is rectangular in shape, and when light or sunlight falls on it, its golden glow becomes even more striking.

Apart from a few islands of the Sundarbans, gold foil beads have also been found at several archaeological sites in South 24 Parganas, including Deulpota, Harinarayanpur, Tilpi, and Mandirtala.

In ancient times, such golden beads were used in earrings, necklaces, pendants, and even waist ornaments worn on the bare waists of beautiful women. These ornaments, crafted by Bengali artisans, were extremely valuable to foreign women and were exported at prices equivalent to gold itself. From Tamralipta to Wari–Bateshwar, the greater Bengal region was dotted with numerous ports. Let this at least bring a moment of embarrassment to armchair historians who have claimed that the Sundarbans lay under the sea in that period. And let us also pay tribute to those forgotten “Mlechchha” Sundarbani artisans who, as mentioned in the Mahabharata, presented Bhima with precious gems and exquisite works of art.

Author: Debishankar Middya

Image courtesy: Sundarban Pratna Gobeshona Kendra