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Beadwork

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Beadwork on the ceremonial dress of a Datooga woman

Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beads to one another by stringing them onto a thread or thin wire with a sewing or beading needle or sewing them to cloth.[1] Beads are produced in a diverse range of materials, shapes, and sizes, and vary by the kind of art produced. Most often, beadwork is a form of personal adornment (e.g. jewelry), but it also commonly makes up other artworks.

Beadwork techniques are broadly divided into several categories, including loom and off-loom weaving, stringing, bead embroidery, bead crochet, bead knitting, and bead tatting.[2]

Ancient beading

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A string of blue faience beads from north Lisht, a village in the Memphite region of Egypt, c. 1802–1450 B.C.

The art of creating and utilizing beads is ancient, and ostrich shell beads discovered in Africa can be carbon-dated to 10,000 BC.[3][4] Faience beads, a type of ceramic created by mixing powdered clays, lime, soda, and silica sand with water until a paste forms, then molding it around a stick or straw and firing until hard, were notably used in ancient Egyptian jewelry from the First Dynasty (beginning in the early Bronze Age) onward.[5][6] Faience and other ceramic beads with vitrified quartz coatings predate pure glass beads.[7]

Beads and work created with them were found near-ubiquitously across the ancient world, often made of locally available materials. For example, the Athabaskan peoples of Alaska used tusk shells (scaphopod mollusks), which are naturally hollow, as beads and incorporated them into elaborate jewelry.[8]

Beadwork has historically been used for religious purposes, as good luck talismans, for barter and trade, and for ritual exchange.[4]

Modern beading

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Modern beaded flowers, yellow made in the French beading technique and pink in the Victorian beading technique.

Today, beadwork is commonly practiced by jewelers, hobbyists, and contemporary artists; artists known for using beadwork as a medium include Liza Lou, Ran Hwang, Hew Locke, Jeffery Gibson, and Joyce J. Scott.[9]

Some ancient stitches have become especially popular among contemporary artists. The off-loom peyote stitch, for example, is used in Native American Church members' beadwork.[10]

Jewelry made of beads was widespread and fashionable in Western Ukraine, which was connected with the familiarity of Ukrainian artists with the artistic achievements of the countries of Western Europe, where from the 18th century. There was a fashion for artistic products made of beads. Modern Ukrainian beadwork includes: beaded clothing, collars, bracelets, necklaces, necklaces-gerdanes, clothing accessories, and household items such as pysanka.[11]

Europe

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Russian Countess Olga Orlova-Davydova wearing a heavily beaded kokoshnik, 1903

Beadwork in Europe, much like in Egypt and the Americas, can be traced to the use of bone and shell as adornments amongst early modern humans.[3] As glassmaking increased in popularity through the Middle Ages, glass beads began to appear extensively in bead embroidery, beaded necklaces, and similar wares.[12]

In Northern Russia, the Kokoshnik headdress typically includes river pearl netting around the forehead in addition to traditional bead embroidery.[13]

By 1291, artists in Murano, Italy had begun production of intricate glass Murano beads inspired by Venetian glassware. With the advent of lampwork glass, Europeans started producing seed beads for embroidery, crochet, and other, mostly off-loom techniques.[7] Czech seed beads are among the most popular contemporary bead styles.

One technique of European beadwork is beaded "immortal" flowers. The technique's origins, though indistinct, are generally agreed to range at least several centuries back, as far back as at least the 16th if not 14th century.[14][15] Two mayor styles were developed: French beading, in which the wire only goes through each bead once and the wires are arranged vertically, and Victorian (also called English or Russian) beading, in which the wires go through each bead twice and are arranged horizontally.[14] In the late 19th and early 20th century, the beaded flowers were used to create long lasting funeral wreaths, called immortelles (French for "immortals").[15] In the mid-20th century, the art was introduced to United States with sales of flower beading kits. In 1960s to 1970s, books by emerging beaded flower designers emerged.[14][15] In the 1990s and 2000s, there was another revival of interest in the craft, exemplified for example by the funeral wreaths made to commemorate victims of the September 11 attacks.[14]

Ukrainian pysanka

Ukrainian masters develop exclusively national motifs in their bead collections. Beaded artworks include clothing ensembles, clothing accessories, priestly clothing decorations, and household items. At the beginning of the 20th century embroidery workshops were created on the territory of Galicia and Bukovyna, where, along with weaving and embroidery, jewelry from beads was made. Contemporary beadwork includes: beaded clothing, collars, bracelets, necklaces, clothing accessories like handbags and purses.[16][17][18][19]

North America

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See also: Visual arts of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Quillwork, and Native American jewelry
Examples of contemporary Native American beadwork

Native American beadwork, already established via the use of materials like shells, dendrite, claws, and bone, evolved to incorporate glass beads as Europeans brought them to the Americas beginning in the early 17th century.[20][21]

Native beadwork today heavily utilizes small glass beads, but artists also continue to use traditionally important materials. Wampum shells, for instance, are ceremonially and politically important to a range of Eastern Woodlands tribes, and are used to depict important events.[22]

Several Native American artists from a wide range of nations are considered to be at the forefront of modern American bead working. These artists include Teri Greeves (Kiowa, known for beaded commentaries on Native voting rights),[23] Marcus Amerman (Choctaw, known for realistic beaded portraits of historical figures and celebrities),[24] and Jamie Okuma (Luiseño-Shoshone-Bannock, known for beaded dolls).[25]

Great Lakes tribes

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Ursuline nuns in the Great Lakes introduced floral patterns to young Indigenous women, who quickly applied them to beadwork.[26] Ojibwe women in the area created ornately decorated shoulder bags known as gashkibidaagan (bandolier bags).[27]

The Anishinaabe in the Great Lakes region use beading to share stories about the traditions and culture of the tribe. There are 7 core teachings from the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers that the Anishinaabe people embody in their culture, storytelling, and beadwork: Wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth.[citation needed]

Eastern Woodlands tribes

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Innu, Mi'kmaq, Penobscot, and Haudenosaunee peoples developed, and are known for, beading symmetrical scroll motifs, most often in white beads.[28] Tribes of the Iroqouis Confederacy practice raised beading, where threads are pulled taut to force beads into a bas-relief, which creates a three-dimensional effect.[29][30]

Southeastern tribes

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Southeastern tribes pioneered a beadwork style that features images with white outlines, a visual reference to the shells and pearls coastal Southeasterners used pre-contact.[31] This style was nearly lost during the Trail of Tears, as many beadworkers died during their forced removal to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Roger Amerman (Choctaw, brother of Marcus Amerman) and Martha Berry (Cherokee) have effectively revived the style, however.[31]

Sierra Madre tribes

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Huichol communities in the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit uniquely attach their beads to objects and surfaces via the use of a resin-beeswax mixture (in lieu of wire or waxed thread).[32] Huichol beadwork is commonly characterized by bright colors and geometric shapes, and motifs of animals and spirits illustrate their spiritual beliefs.[33]

Métis Nation

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Métis were known as the Flower Beadwork People by the Cree and Dene because of their culture of colourful floral beadwork and embroidery.[34] During the early 19th century, European and Euro-North American observers and travelers frequently noted the intricate beadwork adorning Métis clothing. This beadwork, particularly floral patterns, has evolved into one of the most recognizable symbols of Métis culture. Métis artisans employed First Nations beadwork techniques along with floral designs influenced by French-Canadian nuns in Roman Catholic missions. By the 1830s, vibrant and lifelike floral motifs dominated Métis creations from the Red River region. Beadwork adorned nearly every traditional Métis garment, from moccasins to coats, belts to bags.[35] The practice of beadwork became a vital economic activity for Métis women and families, spanning generations and providing both personal and commercial expression. Métis organizations like the Louis Riel Institute and the Gabriel Dumont Institute actively promote and preserve traditional beading through workshops and resources, ensuring its continuation within the community.

Africa

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An elephant mask decorated with glass beads by the Bamileke people in Bandjoun, Cameroon c. 1910–1930

Several African nations outside of Egypt have beadwork traditions. Aggry (also spelled aggri or aggrey) beads, a type of decorated glass bead, are used by Ghanaians and other West Africans to make necklaces and bracelets that may be traded for other goods.[36] These beads are often believed to have magical medicinal of fertility powers. In Mauritania, powder-glass Kiffa beads represent a beading tradition that may date as far back as 1200 CE; a group of women have been revitalizing the craft after the last traditional Kiffa artisans died in the 1970s.[37] Cameroonian women are known for crafting wooden sculptures covered in beadwork.[38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Beadwork". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  2. ^ Libin, Nina (1998). Tatted Lace of Beads, the Techniques of BEANILE LACE. Berkeley, CA: LACIS. p. 112. ISBN 0-916896-93-5.
  3. ^ a b Dubin, Lois Sherr (2009). The History of Beads: From 100,000 B.C. to the Present. New York: Harry N. Abrams. p. 16. ISBN 978-0810951747.
  4. ^ a b Sciama, Lidia D.; Eicher, Joanne B. (1998). Beads and Bead Makers: Gender, Material Culture and Meaning (Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Women). Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 1–3. ISBN 978-1859739952.
  5. ^ Dee, Michael; Wengrow, David; Shortland, Andrew; Stevenson, Alice; Brock, Fiona; Girdland Flink, Linus; Bronk Ramsey, Christopher (8 November 2013). "An absolute chronology for early Egypt using radiocarbon dating and Bayesian statistical modelling". Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 469 (2159): 20130395. Bibcode:2013RSPSA.46930395D. doi:10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. ISSN 1364-5021. PMC 3780825. PMID 24204188.
  6. ^ Peck, William (2013). The Material World of Ancient Egypt. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107276383.
  7. ^ a b Dubin, Lois Sherr (2010). The Worldwide History of Beads: Ancient, Ethnic, Contemporary. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 9780500515006.
  8. ^ Dubin, Lois Sherr (2009). The History of Beads: From 100,000 B.C. to the Present. New York: Abrams. p. 463. ISBN 978-0810951747.
  9. ^ Gittlen, Ariela (16 February 2018). "6 Artists Turning Beads into Spellbinding Works of Art". Artsy. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  10. ^ Steele, Meredith (23 May 2019). "Peyote Stitch: A Brief History". Interweave. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Українські народні прикраси з бісеру". Музей Івана Гончара. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  12. ^ Keller, Daniel; Price, Jennifer; Jackson, Caroline (2014). Neighbours and Successors of Rome: Traditions of Glass Production and use in Europe and the Middle East in the Later 1st Millennium AD. Oxbow Books. pp. 1–41. ISBN 978-1-78297-398-0.
  13. ^ "Headdress of Natalia de Shabelsky". Met Museum. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017.
  14. ^ a b c d Kurtz, Rosemary (16 February 2008). "French Bead Flower Making - A Vintage Craft Is New Again".
  15. ^ a b c Harpster, Lauren (31 August 2018). "What is French Beading?". Bead & Blossom. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  16. ^ Nykonenko, Dmytro; Yatsuk, Oleh; Guidorzi, Laura; Lo Giudice, Alessandro; Tansella, Francesca; Cesareo, Ludovica Pia; Sorrentino, Giusi; Davit, Patrizia; Gulmini, Monica; Re, Alessandro (13 November 2023). "Glass beads from a Scythian grave on the island of Khortytsia (Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine): insights into bead making through 3D imaging". Heritage Science. 11 (1): 238. doi:10.1186/s40494-023-01078-0. ISSN 2050-7445.
  17. ^ Starchenko, Elena Vassilievna (1982). "The art of jewellery in Kievan Russia". Museum. 34 (3). Paris: UNESCO: 156–9. ISSN 0027-3996. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Introduction to Ukrainian Beadwork - Sylianky - Workshop". Ukrainian Cultural Association of Ohio Inc. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Ukrainian necklaces | Ukrainian recipes". 25 November 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Native American Art- Cherokee Beadwork and Basketry". nativeamerican-art.com. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  21. ^ Cherokee, Eastern Band of. "Cherokee Indian Beadwork and Beading Patterns | Cherokee, NC". Cherokee, NC. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  22. ^ Dubin, pp. 170–171
  23. ^ Lopez, Antonio (August 2000). "Focus on Native Artists | Teri Greeves". Southwest Art Magazine. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  24. ^ Berlo and Phillips, p. 32
  25. ^ Indyke, Dottie (May 2001). "Native Arts | Jamie Okuma". Southwest Art Magazine. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  26. ^ Dubin, p. 50
  27. ^ Dubin, p. 218
  28. ^ Berlo and Phillips, p. 146
  29. ^ Hoffman, Karen Ann (December 2018). "Wisconsin Life, Iroquois Beadwork". Wisconsin First Nations. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021.
  30. ^ Berlo and Philips, p. 151
  31. ^ a b Berlo and Phillips, p. 87
  32. ^ Hillman, Paul. "The Huichol Web of Life: Creation and Prayer | Lesson Two: Jicaras, Kukus and Seeds". Community Arts Resource Exchange. The Bead Museum. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  33. ^ "Beading Traditions: Huichol". Museum of Beadwork. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Material Culture". Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Beadwork". Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture. The Gabriel Dumont Institute. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  36. ^ Quiggin, A. Hingston (1949). A Survey of Primitive Money. London: Methuen & Co Ltd. pp. 36–44.
  37. ^ Simak, E. "Mauritanian Powder-Glass Kiffa Beads". Ornament. 5 (29): 60–63.
  38. ^ LaDuke, Betty. (1997). Africa : women's art, women's lives. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. pp. 63–84. ISBN 0-86543-434-4. OCLC 35521674.
  • Berlo, Janet C.; Ruth B. Phillips (1998). Native North American Art. Oxford History of Art. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-284218-3.
  • Dubin, Lois Sherr (1999). North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present. New York: Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 0-8109-3689-5
  • Dubin, Lois Sherr (2009). The History of Beads: From 100,000 B.C. to the Present. New York: Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 978-0810951747.
  • Beads and beadwork. (1996). In Encyclopedia of north american indians, Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 27 January 2014, from http://search.credoreference.com/
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