Interest in British and Irish Bronze Age faience dates back to 1812, when, based on the morphological similarity between British segmented breads and those from the Egyptian Eighteenth Dynasty, it was suggested that faience could have been imported from Egypt. Approximately three-hundred and fifty Bronze Age faience beads and pendants are known as having come from Britain and Ireland, mostly found in the burial sites of cremated human bone. An international research project led by the National Museums of Scotland investigated the origin, composition, manufacture and use of faience from Britain, Ireland and adjacent parts of mainland Europe. Non-destructive controlled-pressure scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive microanalysis (CP-SEM-EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and binocular microscopy provide compositional and textural information. Wavelength-dispersive electron microprobe (EMP) analysis of rare polished samples provides additional and more accurate compositional information. The results demonstrate that direct derivation from Egyptian or Mediterranean faience traditions can be ruled out. The beads and pendants were manufactured on a small-scale basis, using a mixed alkali paste and glaze from plant ash sources (including seaweed) and a copper-based glaze colorant probably derived from bronze. Tin (or its oxide) seems to have been deliberately added. Various forming and glazing techniques were used. The authors demonstrate that some beads were worn during cremation; and they further investigated the effects of cremation on faience by experimentally cremating a pig wearing a newly-made faience necklace. -- ICCROM