Synopsis Beads and gems like the early man-made tools and weapons introduce us to a world of phantasy as much as real life. They have been universally avowed for their sophistry and their mystical properties. The stone bead industry coeval with men of the Neolithic culture is traced in India since the Indus culture and has continued until today meandering through a number of sites and phases of culture. The stratified analysis of stone beads and many synthetic gems and rock crystals with information on the technique of bead manufacture on historical terms evokes scientific inquiry which is a redeeming feature of this work.