Trade beads are considered to be one of the earliest forms of trade between members of the human race. Trade beads are beads that were used as a medium of barter within and amongst communities. They are also found in the United States and Canada, and throughout Latin America.
The materials used in making beads/beadwork are of the largest variety, from bone to glass. The colours and sizes, the significance of the materials chosen, the placement of beads (on the body, clothing or articles) among other uses, and of course the “subjectivity” of the person using beads denote perspective, experience, feelings, beliefs, desires, and/or power.
Origins and Early Use
The origin of beads and beadwork in Africa dates back to the beginning of any civilization documented in archaeological history, some say as far as 10,000 BC. On this continent much beadwork still consists of natural material such as bone, coral, horn, ivory, seeds, shells, stones and pearls, which places emphasis on the beadwork’s meaning. In contemporary times beads are also produced from synthetic materials like glass, plastic and alloy metals. Today’s sources for synthetic beads are China, Hungary, India and Poland.
If you enjoy modern fashion, then you have a lot to thank early cave dwellers for-many archaeologists believe that beads originated as the first form of personal adornment. The earliest likely examples were made from marine shells in Africa. In France, beads and other jewelry carved from bone were found at a prominent Neanderthal site.
Trade Beads as Currency and Wealth Storage
Africans often used beads for currency and wealth storage, and social status could be easily determined by the quality, quantity and style of jewellery worn.
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Aggry beads from Ghana were used for exchange and as a way of payment during early trade in Africa. Europeans first collected aggry beads from the West Coast of Africa in the 15th Century.
The Role of Trade Beads in the Slave Trade
Beads were also used by early Europeans to purchase African resources, including slaves in the African slave trade. The production of slave (trade) beads became so popular that literally tons of these beads were used for this purpose. Beads were used as ballast in slave/trade ships for the outbound trip. The beads and other trade items were exchanged for human cargo as well as ivory, gold, and other goods desired in Europe and around the world.
In sixteenth-century continental North America, trade beads (sometimes called aggry and slave beads) were decorative glass beads used as a token money to exchange for goods, services and slaves (hence the name). The beads were integrated in Native American jewelry using various beadwork techniques.
European Influence and Production
Made to ease the passage of European explorers and then traders mainly across the African continent, the beads were made throughout Europe although the Venetians dominated production. Glassmaking was not common in Africa. The ease of production of these beads using methods employed by European artisans enabled exploitation via a speculative attack on this West African monetary system.
The torch (or blowpipe) was passed from Rome to the Republic of Venice. During the Middle Ages, this city-state transformed itself into a Mediterranean maritime empire and dominated seagoing trade in the region. A rich tradition with glass beads enabled Venetian makers to monopolize the trade winds with their superior reputation.
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Amsterdam had evolved into a bead-making powerhouse by the 17th century, feeding Dutch commercial ambitions, and even Bohemian and Moravian glass makers saw a chance to go global. Despite some robust competition, Venice defended its crystalline Murano crown.
Trade Beads in the Americas
The same beads that were exported to Africa were likewise brought to The New World. North America became a final frontier for a plurality of colonial powers. Spain established the first permanent colony in Florida but England and France weren’t far behind. From the Eastern Seaboard to the western deserts, blown-glass beads supplanted the more traditional materials like bone, copper, and stone.
It was reported in February 2021 that Venetian glass trade beads had been found at three prehistoric Eskimo sites in Alaska, including Punyik Point. Uninhabited today, and located a mile from the Continental Divide in the Brooks Range, the area was on ancient trade routes from the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean.
Cultural Significance and Contemporary Use
Beads are among the most intriguing and important symbols in African culture, past and present. Adornment - historically, beadwork was the insignia of tribal royalty. This practice has decentralised gradually and developed broader meaning in society. In contemporary southern Africa, beads and seeds have experienced a revival in popularity and are easily visible in everyday dress patterns which incorporate cultural as well and individual expressions.
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Culture is dynamic, and is just as much individual as it is a societal or communal expression. Used for souvenirs and to raise awareness - contemporary uses now include beaded souvenirs made of wire or fishing twine, such as domesticated and wildlife creatures, decorative and awareness bangles and bracelets, toys and figurines, the list continues to grow with the artists’ imaginations.
Zulu Love Letters
In South Africa, Zulu 'love letters', where the colours reflect the ardour and nature of one’s feelings, are still largely popular. The beadwork tradition continues as living art. Elaborate beadwork costumes and body ornaments continue to be created for daily use, in traditional ceremonies, or to celebrate matrimony and the rites of passage from infancy to adulthood.
Waist Beads
Waist beads have a long history in Africa and are worn for various reasons and purposes. The meaning of the colours and different shapes of beads varies with every community and they can be thought of as visual dialects. Traditionally, mothers adorned their daughters with waist beads during their first menstruation as a rite of passage into womanhood. The beads symbolised a young lady’s fertility, developing body, and her sexuality.
- Waist beads were and still are worn for seduction.
- When stones are added, waist beads take on healing qualities.
- Most importantly, waist beads are also an instrument of body shaping.
Universally, the appeal of beads and beadwork will continue to thrive as both a cultural expression and tourist attraction.
Trade beads are so ingrained in African and Native American cultures that a tumultuous history could not shake their importance. They are descended from mankind’s earliest fashions. With polychromatic beauty and simplicity, they lend themselves to a variety of garments, necklaces, and bracelets that hold spiritual meanings.
