jumbee bead

noun

Bracelets or anklets made by stringing together the brightly coloured seeds of the plant Abrus precatorius. The bracelets worn to ward off jumbees or other spirits and influences.

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noun

The seeds and plant of the climbing legume Abrus precatorius. It is primarily known for its brightly coloured seeds which are used in jewelry, art and craft, and as filling for percussion instruments and shakers. Most seeds are bright red with a black eye. However, they also occur in full red, full black, green, and white.

plant

also known as

devil bead, johncrow bead

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9 comments

9 years ago

This is one of the two most poisonous seeds in the world. If the inner seed enters your blood you are dead.....contains ricin

Helen

9 years ago

Hmmm didn't know that .........what is the second one

Samael Sharpe

9 years ago

Probably castor oil seeds. They also contain ricin.

Ann

9 years ago

When I was growing up, I think those red ones were called 'buck-beads' .

Jeff

5 years ago

Jeff

5 years ago

Lilian Singh

4 years ago

I remember playing with those beads, making necklaces for my dolls

Belna

4 years ago

When babies are born the custom was to make a bracelet of the black beads that they wear. The bracelet is ward off bad eye.

Arlene Monaghan

2 years ago

We grew up with stories about the werewolf who was obsessed with numbers. it could only enter your home if you had a string of 100 Jumbee beads outside your door. So, to confuse the werewolf you made a sting of 99 Jumbee beads. The werewolf would spend the entire night counting the string over and over trying to reach 100. o. He