Used by: TT

Derived from: Its size. In the old English system a three barleycorns made one inch (2.5 cm). These average about 8 mm long.

Earliest Use: Unknown, but quite early. Karklins (1975:169) cites a source using the term in 1765.

Origin: Venice, ca. 1750 to 1840.

Distinctive Trait: Small wound beads in white, black and more rarely blue.

Distribution: Global.

Remarks: No quarrel with the name. One of the earliest and most popular early wound Venetian beads.