Glass beads are among the oldest objects in the glassmaking industry. In West Africa, archaeological glass beads are evidence of short-, medium- and long-distance trade within the continent and with the rest of the world, in relation to social and geopolitical circumstances. As glass beads relate to many aspects of the everyday life of a community, the interest of their study lies in gaining evidence about technological aspects, socio-cultural contexts, and politico-economic background. We present here the techno-stylistic and chemical analysis of 945 glass beads found in 9 archaeological sites in Senegal, Mali, and Ghana dated between the 7th–5th c. BCE and the 18th–20th c. CE. The cross-referencing of the analytical results with archaeological and historical data has made it possible to identify three main clusters relating to the provenance of the glass, the commercial partners involved, and the trade networks exploited.