Beads circulated as small money in large parts of Africa in the 19th century. The Europeans used them to buy food, to pay bearers or as tribute money. Which of the numerous beads would be accepted as money and which would be worn just as jewelry, depended on their employ by the locals, however. One often needed different kinds of beads to buy food or to pay bearers. Thus, to purchase certain goods certain beads were required. This necklace is made of millefiori beads, from "thousand-flower-beads" thus. These Murano glass beads were produced in Venice and exported in big numbers to Africa and India in the 19th century.