Brief History Of The Bead From 1700 To The 1930's
The word “bead” originates from the Middle English word “bede,” meaning prayer. (Trade Beads, 1) To most people today, beads are usually just seen as just an accessory. Many are not aware of the history that beads and the beading industry carry. In the Native culture, beads were and still are seen as very important. To the Aboriginal Peoples from 1700 to the 1930s, beads were significant because they were used for trade, they were used as decoration, and they had a spiritual/religious significance. History of the bead dates back 40 000 years and they have been made by every culture since then. (The History of Beads) In a firsthand encounter Mr. George C. Ricketts suggested to Mrs. Rivett-Carnac that a variety of ancient beads had possible
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antiquarian value. (Ancient Indian Beads, 5) An encounter with a religious mendicant shed more light on how beading was important: “A fakir, or religious mendicant, passed us on his way to the village, wearing a quaint string of beads of all kinds round his neck. The variety and large size of some of the onyxes led to a talk with the old man, who shook his head when asked if he would part with his necklace, but seemed amused at the interest it excited.” (ibid, 5) Beading is one of the best known art forms practiced by American Indians. (Kansas, 1) Archeologists get excited when they find beads in excavations because of their rarity and due to the fact that they sometimes last thousands of years. (Indians.org)
When it came to making the beads, Mrs. Rivett says how corundum must have been used and that a soft drill with hard powder also might have been used if one looked at the formation of the holes as the bases of many of the unfinished holes were flat and not pointed. (Journal of Indian.., 6) The process also must have been hard and tedious and it must have rendered the beads valuable when the process was finished. (ibid) The beads were pierced from either end and the junction was not exact because of this. (ibid) Beads were mostly made out of wood or bone due to the fact that the materials are sturdy, they last a long time, and they can easily be fashioned and carved. (ibid) In some tribes, fastening beads was a sacred task. (ibid) In others, only women were allowed to create beads. (ibid) Regardless of who could or could not perform the task, a variety of processes could be used. (ibid) Most often, an old fashioned stone drill bit pumped by hand or even an awl that created a hole in the bead was used. (ibid) Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Native populations created their own beads. (Kansas, 1) Since none had metal tools, constructing beads was a long process. (ibid) It was not until the arrival of trade beads from Europe that Natives could obtain small beads in sufficient quantities to make the beaded designs that we know today. (ibid) The art of glass beads most likely originated in Venice, Italy. From there, production moved to other parts of Europe. (ibid, 2)
Trade was a very important aspect of the Native culture. There is evidence that the descendants of Native Americans in prehistoric times used beads as adornment and in jewelry and as a way to trade. (Indians.org) Glass seed beads, sometimes referred to as trade beads, played an important role in the colonization of North America. (Ray Mc, 20) Columbus’ first trade with the people of America was done with the use of trade beads. (ibid) Beads therefore, became an indispensable part of goods to be traded for items of greater value like pots, pans, and muskets. (ibid) With the advent of European trade, the First Nations market opened with the advantage going to the Europeans. (Ibid) In Canada, French merchants supplied manufactured beads of varied colours that became the principal medium circulating to all First Nations people along the St. Lawrence and Mississippi River. (ibid) Later, the Hudson’s Bay Company added beads as part of a standard trading community. (ibid) Over 300 years, the Hudson’s Bay Company traded with middlemen and trappers who in turn, supplied the northwest frontier with beads. (Ibid) Tribal characters took on new meanings with the arrival of the trade bead. (ibid 26) Beads were one of the earliest goods traded and ultimately all beads came from trading posts, but Natives soon spread trade beads far through their own exchange networks until beads could be found in the most remote parts of the United States. (Kansas, 2) During the mid-1800s, trade goods like beads became readily available (Kansas, 3) Bead trading in North America started with Columbus in late 1400s and it continued with various explores. (Trade beads, 1) Beads were usually named after where they were found, who traded them, what tribes they were associated with, or their mode of transportation. (Trade beads, 2) For example, the Pony Bead and the Russian Trade beads. (ibid) Natives began to incorporate smaller beads into clothing, baskets, dolls, and ceremonies (ibid) Glass beads were highly valued and used to trade for provisions.
Beads are described as being polished and unpolished, round beads varying in size from “large marbles to pins’ heads.” (Ancient indian beads, 7) They were also described as long and short, oval shaped, big and small, dull and polished, round, cubes, flat, etc. (ibid) Beads can be divided into two classes: those made for personal ornament in which beauty is the sole element and those that have some underlying religious idea. (ibid, 8) Reif from the New York Times exclaimed that the designs are highly decorative and even without knowing what they mean, they are appealing. (reif) Also, the elaborate designs can be found on clothing and simpler designs but possibly more compelling can be found on belts, patterned with squares, bold circles, and linear motifs. (reif) Beads were also very important because they told a story. Some tribes had “story bead” necklaces where symbols were carved into pieces of flat turquoise and other stones and they were strung with other beads. (Indians.org) The mothers used these necklaces to tell stories that were to be handed down from generation to generation. (ibid) Thanks to white settlers, glass beads and metals like copper and silver began to be incorporated into jewelry design (ibid) All types of raw material was used for ornamentation and to decorate clothing in Native cultures.(History of Beads, 20) Objects were crafted to have many functions, both secular and sacred. (ibid) Prior to European contact, the use of porcupine quills by most Woodland and Plains cultures was common and the quills used in baskets, footwear, and clothing were dyed in many colours. (ibid) Though they were for trade, beads had a significant effect on First Nations’ life. (ibid) The availability of these small beads along with the introduction of trade cloth and steel needles, led to the decline of older techniques, including quill work. (ibid) This lead to bed work becoming the predominant craft (ibid) Some bead workers still followed traditional techniques but many began to incorporate their own ideas into European type designs. (ibid) The blend of European designs and materials became successful on the Plains in about 1860 (ibid) Many Plains groups created beading adornments for themselves and their horses. (ibid) Designs created by First Nations people are as varied as their geographical location. (ibid) People of the Woodlands used floral patterns in their beadwork whereas the Plains people tended to use more geometric expressions such as rectangles, triangles, diamonds, etc. (ibid 21) The elaboration of designs came along with the availability of trade beads. (ibid) Traditional decorated portions on clothes became larger and short and narrow strips became wide bands. (ibid) The Natives were not confined to one stylistic expression, however, as styles and designs often crossed over. (ibid) The Woodland people sometimes incorporated geometric designs and vice versa with the Plains people. (ibid) The technique is fairly basic and straightforward and it does not require extensive training nor is it difficult to do, but patience is needed as bead work can be very monotonous. (ibid) Historically, it was a part of a social pastime where friends and family would band together at the same table and discuss the issues of the day or they would just socialize. (ibid) Basic methods of stitchery have supplied at least 300 years of various ways to reinterpret themselves through beadwork. (ibid, 26) Tribal characteristics took on new meanings with the arrival of the trade bead as glass beads replaced quills and natural beads as the medium of choice since they were more available, more flexible, and more varieties of colour, and there were influences from Euro-American expressions and designs. (ibid) At first, beads were intended for necklaces of the large variety but soon after, it was realized what possibly were available with the small, brightly coloured beads. (Kansas, 2) Suddenly, it was possible to create new designs with a broader palette and now this ease of being used for decoration created a variable explosion of beadwork for Natives. (ibid) Traders soon moved to satisfy the market for smaller beads (ibid) There were two main stitches, the Overlaid Stitch and the Lazy Stitch (ibid, 3) The Overlaid Stitch was a technique found throughout the United States. (ibid) With this technique, it’s possible to perform fine work and to fill in large sections of the background. (ibid) First, beads were strung on a thread and placed in order. (ibid) Then, the second thread is used to fix the beaded strand to the material and it is passed over every two or three beads. (ibid) This method is essential for producing curvy, floral designs that were favoured by the tribes of the Woodland people. (ibid) In the Lazy Stitch, a row of beads is strung on a thread that is passed through background material. (ibid) No second thread is used to bind beads to the surface. (ibid) Instead, the thread is strung again with the beads and it is passed back in the opposite direction. (ibid) This way, a series of small rows are laid next to each other to create the design. (ibid) This technique tends to result in a distinctive, ribbed appearance. (ibid) This method was most suitable for the geometric designs that were favoured by the Plains Indians. (ibid) Usually, specific designs that were used by a group belonged to that group alone and permission had to be granted for another tribe to wear it. (ibid, 5) If this permission was granted, the design could be only be worn in the presence of the tribe of which the design originated. (ibid) As the demand grew, beads became smaller to be produced faster. (Trade Beads, 2) With these smaller beads, the Natives began to incorporate them into ceremonies, dolls, baskets, and clothing. (ibid)
Religion and spirituality was a major aspect in Native culture and beads played an important role in it.
Religious beads could be split into two classes: those in which the shape and colour of the bead has some significance and those used as talismans. (Mrs. JH, 8) There was significance in the belief of the Evil Eye and it was believed that certain stones were connected with certain plants, gods, etc. (ibid) The idea is that if a child or person wears a conspicuous ornament, the eye of an unlucky person is likely to fall on that first. (ibid) Therefore, beads worn by children are always suspected to be worn with that motive. (ibid) The bead worn should at least be in the colour approximate to that of the stone sacred to the god, planet, etc, whose evil influence the wearer was hoping to avert. (ibid) For example, Saturn was associated with Sapphire which was associated with the colour blue and the Moon was associated with Diamond which was associated with the colour yellow and so on. (ibid) The evil eye had two counter currents: ne of dread of an active maleficent influence and the other was the fear that perfection brings with it ill luck. (ibid, 9) It was mentioned by Mrs. Rivett-Carnac that no native scribe would ever send in a piece of writing without a blot or deliberate imperfection introduced somewhere, as if the writing were perfect, bad luck would follow. (ibid) The same idea was echoed with embroidery and ornaments as some fault was purposely introduced to ward off bad luck. (ibid) Blue was the chief colour antidote to the evil eye and anything from the sea was seen as sacred and pure. (ibid) Blue being a sacred colour accounts for the high value on Lapis Lazuli. (ibid) White beads made from the bones of flying fox were also worn and their efficiency against rheumatism and aches and pains of joints was firmly believed in. (ibid, 10) At the beginning of the European trade, glass beads were not desired by Natives for their monetary or exchange value, but
for a symbolic value. (Trade Beads, 1) They were a traditional part of ritual exchanges and therefore were valued more for their symbolic associations rather than their worth in exchange. (ibid) Glass beads helped to invigorate and transform transitional ideologies, social, and religious systems of Natives and were perceived as a luxury and prestige item. (ibid)
Therefore, one can see that beads were and still are a significant part of the Native culture. There was a shift in their appearance and their use when European trade began happening but they were still significant when it came to trading, decorating, and religion nd spirituality.
antiquarian value. (Ancient Indian Beads, 5) An encounter with a religious mendicant shed more light on how beading was important: “A fakir, or religious mendicant, passed us on his way to the village, wearing a quaint string of beads of all kinds round his neck. The variety and large size of some of the onyxes led to a talk with the old man, who shook his head when asked if he would part with his necklace, but seemed amused at the interest it excited.” (ibid, 5) Beading is one of the best known art forms practiced by American Indians. (Kansas, 1) Archeologists get excited when they find beads in excavations because of their rarity and due to the fact that they sometimes last thousands of years. (Indians.org)
When it came to making the beads, Mrs. Rivett says how corundum must have been used and that a soft drill with hard powder also might have been used if one looked at the formation of the holes as the bases of many of the unfinished holes were flat and not pointed. (Journal of Indian.., 6) The process also must have been hard and tedious and it must have rendered the beads valuable when the process was finished. (ibid) The beads were pierced from either end and the junction was not exact because of this. (ibid) Beads were mostly made out of wood or bone due to the fact that the materials are sturdy, they last a long time, and they can easily be fashioned and carved. (ibid) In some tribes, fastening beads was a sacred task. (ibid) In others, only women were allowed to create beads. (ibid) Regardless of who could or could not perform the task, a variety of processes could be used. (ibid) Most often, an old fashioned stone drill bit pumped by hand or even an awl that created a hole in the bead was used. (ibid) Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Native populations created their own beads. (Kansas, 1) Since none had metal tools, constructing beads was a long process. (ibid) It was not until the arrival of trade beads from Europe that Natives could obtain small beads in sufficient quantities to make the beaded designs that we know today. (ibid) The art of glass beads most likely originated in Venice, Italy. From there, production moved to other parts of Europe. (ibid, 2)
Trade was a very important aspect of the Native culture. There is evidence that the descendants of Native Americans in prehistoric times used beads as adornment and in jewelry and as a way to trade. (Indians.org) Glass seed beads, sometimes referred to as trade beads, played an important role in the colonization of North America. (Ray Mc, 20) Columbus’ first trade with the people of America was done with the use of trade beads. (ibid) Beads therefore, became an indispensable part of goods to be traded for items of greater value like pots, pans, and muskets. (ibid) With the advent of European trade, the First Nations market opened with the advantage going to the Europeans. (Ibid) In Canada, French merchants supplied manufactured beads of varied colours that became the principal medium circulating to all First Nations people along the St. Lawrence and Mississippi River. (ibid) Later, the Hudson’s Bay Company added beads as part of a standard trading community. (ibid) Over 300 years, the Hudson’s Bay Company traded with middlemen and trappers who in turn, supplied the northwest frontier with beads. (Ibid) Tribal characters took on new meanings with the arrival of the trade bead. (ibid 26) Beads were one of the earliest goods traded and ultimately all beads came from trading posts, but Natives soon spread trade beads far through their own exchange networks until beads could be found in the most remote parts of the United States. (Kansas, 2) During the mid-1800s, trade goods like beads became readily available (Kansas, 3) Bead trading in North America started with Columbus in late 1400s and it continued with various explores. (Trade beads, 1) Beads were usually named after where they were found, who traded them, what tribes they were associated with, or their mode of transportation. (Trade beads, 2) For example, the Pony Bead and the Russian Trade beads. (ibid) Natives began to incorporate smaller beads into clothing, baskets, dolls, and ceremonies (ibid) Glass beads were highly valued and used to trade for provisions.
Beads are described as being polished and unpolished, round beads varying in size from “large marbles to pins’ heads.” (Ancient indian beads, 7) They were also described as long and short, oval shaped, big and small, dull and polished, round, cubes, flat, etc. (ibid) Beads can be divided into two classes: those made for personal ornament in which beauty is the sole element and those that have some underlying religious idea. (ibid, 8) Reif from the New York Times exclaimed that the designs are highly decorative and even without knowing what they mean, they are appealing. (reif) Also, the elaborate designs can be found on clothing and simpler designs but possibly more compelling can be found on belts, patterned with squares, bold circles, and linear motifs. (reif) Beads were also very important because they told a story. Some tribes had “story bead” necklaces where symbols were carved into pieces of flat turquoise and other stones and they were strung with other beads. (Indians.org) The mothers used these necklaces to tell stories that were to be handed down from generation to generation. (ibid) Thanks to white settlers, glass beads and metals like copper and silver began to be incorporated into jewelry design (ibid) All types of raw material was used for ornamentation and to decorate clothing in Native cultures.(History of Beads, 20) Objects were crafted to have many functions, both secular and sacred. (ibid) Prior to European contact, the use of porcupine quills by most Woodland and Plains cultures was common and the quills used in baskets, footwear, and clothing were dyed in many colours. (ibid) Though they were for trade, beads had a significant effect on First Nations’ life. (ibid) The availability of these small beads along with the introduction of trade cloth and steel needles, led to the decline of older techniques, including quill work. (ibid) This lead to bed work becoming the predominant craft (ibid) Some bead workers still followed traditional techniques but many began to incorporate their own ideas into European type designs. (ibid) The blend of European designs and materials became successful on the Plains in about 1860 (ibid) Many Plains groups created beading adornments for themselves and their horses. (ibid) Designs created by First Nations people are as varied as their geographical location. (ibid) People of the Woodlands used floral patterns in their beadwork whereas the Plains people tended to use more geometric expressions such as rectangles, triangles, diamonds, etc. (ibid 21) The elaboration of designs came along with the availability of trade beads. (ibid) Traditional decorated portions on clothes became larger and short and narrow strips became wide bands. (ibid) The Natives were not confined to one stylistic expression, however, as styles and designs often crossed over. (ibid) The Woodland people sometimes incorporated geometric designs and vice versa with the Plains people. (ibid) The technique is fairly basic and straightforward and it does not require extensive training nor is it difficult to do, but patience is needed as bead work can be very monotonous. (ibid) Historically, it was a part of a social pastime where friends and family would band together at the same table and discuss the issues of the day or they would just socialize. (ibid) Basic methods of stitchery have supplied at least 300 years of various ways to reinterpret themselves through beadwork. (ibid, 26) Tribal characteristics took on new meanings with the arrival of the trade bead as glass beads replaced quills and natural beads as the medium of choice since they were more available, more flexible, and more varieties of colour, and there were influences from Euro-American expressions and designs. (ibid) At first, beads were intended for necklaces of the large variety but soon after, it was realized what possibly were available with the small, brightly coloured beads. (Kansas, 2) Suddenly, it was possible to create new designs with a broader palette and now this ease of being used for decoration created a variable explosion of beadwork for Natives. (ibid) Traders soon moved to satisfy the market for smaller beads (ibid) There were two main stitches, the Overlaid Stitch and the Lazy Stitch (ibid, 3) The Overlaid Stitch was a technique found throughout the United States. (ibid) With this technique, it’s possible to perform fine work and to fill in large sections of the background. (ibid) First, beads were strung on a thread and placed in order. (ibid) Then, the second thread is used to fix the beaded strand to the material and it is passed over every two or three beads. (ibid) This method is essential for producing curvy, floral designs that were favoured by the tribes of the Woodland people. (ibid) In the Lazy Stitch, a row of beads is strung on a thread that is passed through background material. (ibid) No second thread is used to bind beads to the surface. (ibid) Instead, the thread is strung again with the beads and it is passed back in the opposite direction. (ibid) This way, a series of small rows are laid next to each other to create the design. (ibid) This technique tends to result in a distinctive, ribbed appearance. (ibid) This method was most suitable for the geometric designs that were favoured by the Plains Indians. (ibid) Usually, specific designs that were used by a group belonged to that group alone and permission had to be granted for another tribe to wear it. (ibid, 5) If this permission was granted, the design could be only be worn in the presence of the tribe of which the design originated. (ibid) As the demand grew, beads became smaller to be produced faster. (Trade Beads, 2) With these smaller beads, the Natives began to incorporate them into ceremonies, dolls, baskets, and clothing. (ibid)
Religion and spirituality was a major aspect in Native culture and beads played an important role in it.
Religious beads could be split into two classes: those in which the shape and colour of the bead has some significance and those used as talismans. (Mrs. JH, 8) There was significance in the belief of the Evil Eye and it was believed that certain stones were connected with certain plants, gods, etc. (ibid) The idea is that if a child or person wears a conspicuous ornament, the eye of an unlucky person is likely to fall on that first. (ibid) Therefore, beads worn by children are always suspected to be worn with that motive. (ibid) The bead worn should at least be in the colour approximate to that of the stone sacred to the god, planet, etc, whose evil influence the wearer was hoping to avert. (ibid) For example, Saturn was associated with Sapphire which was associated with the colour blue and the Moon was associated with Diamond which was associated with the colour yellow and so on. (ibid) The evil eye had two counter currents: ne of dread of an active maleficent influence and the other was the fear that perfection brings with it ill luck. (ibid, 9) It was mentioned by Mrs. Rivett-Carnac that no native scribe would ever send in a piece of writing without a blot or deliberate imperfection introduced somewhere, as if the writing were perfect, bad luck would follow. (ibid) The same idea was echoed with embroidery and ornaments as some fault was purposely introduced to ward off bad luck. (ibid) Blue was the chief colour antidote to the evil eye and anything from the sea was seen as sacred and pure. (ibid) Blue being a sacred colour accounts for the high value on Lapis Lazuli. (ibid) White beads made from the bones of flying fox were also worn and their efficiency against rheumatism and aches and pains of joints was firmly believed in. (ibid, 10) At the beginning of the European trade, glass beads were not desired by Natives for their monetary or exchange value, but
for a symbolic value. (Trade Beads, 1) They were a traditional part of ritual exchanges and therefore were valued more for their symbolic associations rather than their worth in exchange. (ibid) Glass beads helped to invigorate and transform transitional ideologies, social, and religious systems of Natives and were perceived as a luxury and prestige item. (ibid)
Therefore, one can see that beads were and still are a significant part of the Native culture. There was a shift in their appearance and their use when European trade began happening but they were still significant when it came to trading, decorating, and religion nd spirituality.