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American Indian art includes many types of arts and crafts, from the
more traditionally and / or stereotypically Native American art such as
beadwork and pottery, to modern photography, fine paintings, sculptures
and the like. There are many art auctions, both online and offline, that feature this form of American Indian art.
Here we’ll discuss one of the most traditional and historically
relevant branches of American Indian art: beadwork. Beadwork of the
Native American peoples had and has practical as well as decorative;
utilitarian as well as rich symbolic value.
Beadwork and making of the beads themselves is a very old craft. Stone,
bone and shell beads (such as turquoise and semi-precious stones) are
still made the same ancient way. Little affected by modern technology,
the making of beads is still carried out in nearly the exact same way
as our ancestors did thousands of years ago.
Sea shell bead pieces are among the most popular and well known pieces
of regional trade importance for thousands of years. Almost all people
have seen American Indian art pieces, from beaded necklaces to purses,
belts and such.
For the last several decades modern beadwork has been replicated in
modern factories and very cheaply imported. This makes it a competing
factor against the top quality beadwork done by American Indian
craftspeople. The native American crafts people have lost several
millions of dollars (just over an eight year period during the 1980s)
to these fake native beads and beadwork pieces.
Historically, beads were carved from turtle shell, animal horn and deer
hooves. These were often used for making rattling or tinkling pieces
utilized in dance. Hunters often wore necklaces put together with
animal portions, such as bear claws or wolf claws. These indicated a
hunter’s prowess. Bones and seeds were often steamed to soften them for
stringing and /or bending into various shapes.
They were highly valued and cared for by their owners. European
settlers mistook this care and reverence for wampum beads as a sign
that the beads held monetary significance. As such, they mistakenly
assumed that the word ‘wampum’ referred to money, when in actuality
these important beads were much more like very important original
documents.
To string beads, Native Americans used animal sinew that is split very
fine with which to attach beads to clothing, though sometimes, strong
plant fibres such as hide thongs or nettle were used for these
purposes.
Today, the Navajos as well as some pueblo people still make the ancient bead type called the heishii.
This is by far the most popular and high quantity type of beadwork that
is still made today as it was in ancient times. These necklaces are
also referred to as story necklaces as they can be used to tell
stories, with each bead representing a character.
Beads and beadwork are a very important part of archaeological
explorations of pre-European history. Beads have survived thousands of
years and tell many fascinating stories about times we weren’t around
to witness. This is particularly true with respect to beadwork mad of
sea shells. Ancient shell beads have been found thousands of miles from
seas, which indicate various trade routes and contacts among different
groups of people.
Today American Indian artists even create digital beadwork designs to
help them make actual beadwork pieces. In this way complex designs and
pieces can be tested on the screen before the project is begun. This
has certainly added to the creative process for many beadwork artists.
Bead working weaves through native history both in ancient times as
well as in today’s modern computer technology. The most important
aspect of beadwork, though, is not what can be sold or gained, but
personal pieces that are only given among family and friends. The true
meanings behind these pieces are personal associations tied to visions,
important perspectives and other things that an individual wishes to be
reminded of.
Other pages on Art Auctions: Introduction Auctions for Drawings Decorative Art Early American Art
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