A bead was a small object that could be strung on a necklace.
In 2268, Spock suggested that Norman's reluctance to show up for his physical with Doctor McCoy was due to his being terrified of the doctor's beads and rattles. (TOS: "I, Mudd")
In 2365, Data, while posing as Sherlock Holmes in the holodeck, accused a woman of strangling her common-law husband with a beaded shawl. He compared the bead marks to fingerprints. (TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data")
Both Maury Ginsberg and his future wife wore beaded necklaces. He described her as the "groovy chick with the long red beads". (VOY: "Death Wish")