Haudenosaunee Beadwork Part II

Last week, I posted an excerpt from Leigh Graham's capstone paper on Haudenosaunee art. What follows is a second piece of Leigh's research into the history and tradition of beadwork.

Haudenosaunee Beadwork, Part II

From, "Contemporary Social Issues Through Haudenosaunee Art" by Leigh Graham

The tradition of beadwork of North Eastern Native Americans precedes the Haudenosaunee confederacy itself. The earliest beads found in the New York region are dated to be over ten thousand years old. Prior to European contact, the Haudenosaunee created beads using bone, stones, shells, clay, and other natural resources. Using string made from animal sinew, beads were carefully sewn into jewelry, onto traditional regalia, and into belts. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish began importing Venetian glass beads to trade with southern tribes, which were traded up the coast until they reached the Haudenosaunee. In the 1600s, French explorers introduced glass beads from France.[1]

These tiny glass beads were on average less than an eight of an inch in diameter. Rather than having to carve out each individual bead, flawless glass beads could be traded for by the strand. This convenience, and their bright coloring, led to their quick adoption by the Haudenosaunee. In the 19th century glass beads from Bohemian were introduced. These remain the primary type of bead in Haudenosaunee art to this day.[2]

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[1] Gordon, Beverly. “Souvenirs of Niagara Falls: The Significance of Indian Whimsies.” New York State History 57, No. 4 (1976): P.389.

[2] Dolores Elliot. Birds and Beasts in Beads: 150 Years of Iroquois Beadwork. (Hamilton: Colgate University Press, 2011), 6.