The beads history leaves in the remote past. Beads and bugles have appeared more than 400 centuries ago. The word "beads" is of the Arabian origin, it is formed from a word “busra” that in a translation from Arabic designates “false pearls”. . Pebbles and stones with the hole in the center are considered as the earliest examples in prehistory..
The native land of glass beads which decorated clothes of Pharaohs, it is considered Ancient Egypt as there by the first people have learnt to make glass.
The ancient Egyptians regarded very reverently to beads that was evidenced by the fact that they weaved it into a famous Sun necklace, which was the symbol of infinite power of the pharaoh. All kinds of jewelry were caned from beads: necklaces, large beads, bracelets, brooches, etc., stringing beads on horsehair. From Egypt the beads have got to Roman Empire where in Alexandria people have learnt to receive glass by blowing from a metal tube method. Romans have learnt from the Egyptians the making glass art; have mastered the weaving from beads basic techniques.

After the Roman Empire fall which has broken up in 395 AD on the West, led by Rome, and the East, named Byzantium, led by Constantinople, glassmaking center at the end of V Century transferred to the East - to Byzantium. Approximately in 6 century beading art has reached its blossoming in Byzantium, and after the Byzantium Empire fall, many Greek and Byzantium masters has sheltered in the Venetian republic. Exactly Venice became world-wide recognized leader in beads manufacture. Venice throughout several centuries was the unique centre of beads manufacture in Europe. In 1275 in Venice the special decree forbidding beads importing has been published. Thus Venice tried to keep the monopoly. Those who dared to violate the decree, declared state traitors, by whatever means they sought to return to their homeland and executed. Venice supplied with beads the East and the West where it was exchanged for gold, spices, silks; among the peoples of Africa it was used as a bargaining chip. Enormous sale of beads went to Europe where there were warehouses of beads and beaded fairs were arranged. Very small (diameter 0, 5 mm) and bright beads were especially appreciated. Brocade beads, polished inside, silver-plated and gold-plated were widely used in needlework. It is interesting to notice that the famous seafarer Marco Polo was a well-known at that time Venetian beaded master’s son.

Protecting privacy and monopoly over the beads, the government in every way opposed to raw materials export. Only in 1612 a booklet "The Art of Glass" with a complete and detailed guidance on technology was published.

In ?—XII centuries in Venice products of a household purpose and a beads were produced, but after falling of Byzantium from XIII century the Venice glass industry  enters a period of the intensive development. Venetian glassmakers’ art blossoming belongs to XV—XVII centuries, and in XVIII century the period of decline because of a competition to other Europe countries comes. With America discovery and of an American Indian commodity market occurrence, demand has even more increased.
After America opening and a sea way to India establishment glass factories, built in the XVI-XVII centuries in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, England and France supplant glass workshops. In the end of 17 - the beginning of 18 centuries Germany and France have started to produce the beads, and by the end of 18 centuries Bohemia (Czech) became the most considerable competitor of Venice. Masters of Bohemia have developed technology for so-called wood glass producing, having replaced soda with wood ashes (potash). According to its physical characteristics Bohemian glass was significantly different from the Venetian. Potash gave him refractoriness and excellent optical properties. But because of the high melting point it was more difficult to work with it: Bohemian glass, unlike Venetian, did not give treatment in a heated state; however it was possible to subject it to a facet strengthening a play of light in an item. In addition to the thick-walled glass vessel with a deep faceting, which brought glory Bohemian masters, glass beads and seed beads were cut. Gradually, in the world market Bohemian glass beads have pressed Venetian. By the XVIII century Venice was no longer able to prevent more new shops outside emergence. They were opened by fugitive Murano masters, glassmakers, purchased the technology secrets, and no measures to combat them including custom-made murders, have not been able to stop the monopoly collapse. Venetian beads production gradually fell into decay. In the second half of XVIII century there were pulling tubes of glass machines that have accelerated and have made cheaper beads production. Venice and Bohemia scrambling for a seller's market facilitated beads, diverse in color, shape and size occurrence. Annual beads fairs passed in many Europe cities, and in Nuremberg a constant warehouse of Venetian masters’ production placed. In 1704 a first book on beaded business with samples was issued (now it is stored in one of museums of Great Britain), and only then beaded art secrets began to extend worldwide. In the beginning of XIX century beads were accepted to produce by means of machines and it has reduced the beads price and beadwork became popular in many countries.