In the early years of the spread of Christianity, the Eastern Mediterranean developed some practices and philosophies that were different from Rome and Europe. By the 4th century CE we know that some ascetics and hermits who withdrew from the world to pray all day used prayer ropes to keep themselves on track.
The prayer rope is a knotted cord designed to be handled during prayer so that one could feel one's way from knot to knot and keep an accurate count of recitations. The typical prayer rope might have 100 knots, a nice round number of prayers. Ropes can be found with 150 knots (for the number of Psalms), 60, 50 (which became the standard number of Hail Marys for the Rosary), 41 (one better than the days of fasting in the desert), and 33 (for the years of Jesus' life on Earth).
Traditionally it is made of wool and dyed black, to remind the user of the blackness of their sin. It was in a loop, with a cross or tassel attached to the joining of the two ends. You work your way through it with the left hand, keeping the righthand free to make the sign of the Cross at appropriate times.
Although the Rosary was sometimes worn as a necklace to remind one to pray and as spiritual protection, the prayer rope was not used as decoration.
Its creation is attributed to St. Pachomius, about whom you will learn more tomorrow.
