Early Native American Beadwork and Materials

The manufacture of jewelry as adornment goes back to the earliest discovered cultures. Even Neanderthal and Cro-magnum man used bits of shell, bone, and stone to decorate themselves. The early Native Americans were no exception, and the tradition and methods used have evolved into some of the beadweaving techniques that we use today.

What few people in this “Wal-mart” world can understand is that pre contact, everything that the Native people used had to be made by hand, with tools that they manufactured, out of materials that they could find in nature. For a person or group to be able to take the time to make something as frivolous as beads, with no daily purpose, meant that that village or individual was well off by Native standards. Typically time was spent on gathering food, hunting, raising crops, making baskets or pots for use in the home etc... Only once the necessities were done could items like jewelry and decorative items be made. This is one reason why the story about “Buying Manhattan” for $24 worth of beads persists. Can you imagine being presented with the kind of wealth that several bags of beads, that would have taken you months, if not years, to make would have represented.

Typical materials used for pre-contact beads were teeth, bone, antler, gem stone, catlanite, and shell – both tortoise and clam. Typically beads were strung, or stitched on to leather clothing rather than being woven. One main exception to this is the Wampum that was made from clam and oyster shells. The deep purple and white beads were highly values and frequently used for trade. Wampum belts, in particular, were woven using a manual technique without loom or shuttle, or even a needle for that matter. These belts were frequently used to commemorate events, seal treaties, etc... Beads were added by hand, passing the sinew or plant fiber through the bead holes one at a time. A great site for information about the early native processes is Native Tech and their beadwork index. http://www.nativetech.org/beadwork/index.php These folks have done a great job in documenting early Indian life, particularly in the Northeastern states, and I highly recommend them as a source of additional information.

Between the years of 1800-1900 is when the “Native beadwork” that we have come to know really came into its own. The introduction of glass trade beads, as well as European techniques, turned native beadwork into a commodity. The introduction of commercial threads and strings as well as more advanced looms and metal needles made Loom work as well as peyote stitch easier, and even while the Native American was being removed from their culture, the native influence in fashion and jewelry became quite the fad. Even now every girl scout is taught the basics of beadwork, loom kits are sold in every 5 and 10 in the country, and we have a street team of Beadweavers on Etsy, to showcase this ancient art. http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/