Ethiopian necklace with 8 large silver beads 02.03.523
The literal meaning of heishi is "shell" and specifically refers to pieces of shell which have been drilled and ground into beads and then strung into necklaces. More and more frequently, however, heishi(pronounced hee-shee) has come to refer to hand-made tiny beads made of any natural material. Most litterature name also the small ethiopian silver beads "heishi beads"