One of the earliest and most renowned European glass bead-making centers was in Venice, which dominated the world market in volume, quality, and diversity of beads until the 20th century. The beginnings of Venetian glass manufacture are not clear, but the discovery of glass making furnaces, vessel fragments, and mosaic cubes, dating from 600 ad. To 650 ad. On the island of Torcello in the Venetian lagoon implies glass production occurred in the vicinity from an early point in Venetian history. By the 18th century, Venice had a near monopoly on the glass bead market. Venice's loss of prevalence in the bead market in the following centuries was only due to the rise of local markets for rosary beads in particular, in places like Germany, the Baltic, Bohemia, and Mora via these stunning beads of two shades of blue, green, and orange colored design evidence the exceptional artistry of the Venetian bead makers. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the renaissance, the rich ultra-marine of the great master painters were also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from Ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as a metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness, and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid necklace, could feel anything but happiness?