By 
Beadwork: a brief history
The art of beadwork has been around almost as long as humans. From the time an ancient human found a shell or stone with a natural piercing and strung it on a piece of vine to wear around their neck, beads have become popular in one form or another. It doesn’t matter if those objects were used as a religious symbol, as personal adornment or to imbue them with special powers. Bead stringing is the earliest form of beading and persists to this day.
Thousands of years ago, ancient tribes of humans strung hollow animal bones onto a fiber. It is believed that using the animal’s bones would either protect them from that animal or fill them with the animal’s spirit, making them less fragile humans. When early humans developed the tools needed to pierce another object, creating a hole, many assorted items were strung together for many different purposes. Archaeologists have found seashells, seed pods, nut shells, freshwater mollusk shells, and even animal teeth and bones with man-made holes. Some people made real beads out of clay, and others learned how to add pigments to color the beads. As humans progressed, they began to glaze clay beads.
About 3,000 years ago, the Egyptians learned how to make glass, and the next logical step was to create glass beads. They elevated the art of beadwork to a high level that is still admired today for its beauty and design elements. The Egyptians became experts at adding pigments to glass to make highly colorful beads. They combined these colored glass beads with precious and semi-precious stones and precious metals, such as gold and silver, to create stunning pieces of jewelry. Beads became a highly coveted commodity, so much so that they were used in trade and exported throughout the ancient world.
Other cultures adopted the art of beading. Most people think of China when they think of an abacus, or counting frame, a calculating device that uses beads that slide over wires that have been strung on a wooden frame. The Babylonians were actually the first to use an abacus, although theirs was drawn in dust or sand and small pebbles were used instead of beads. The counting abacus with strings and beads can be attributed to the Egyptians, or possibly the ancient Indians. The Chinese played an important role in the evolution and development of the abacus.
The Romans traded beads throughout their empire, and even the ancient Celts and Vikings were bead artisans who used beads to adorn themselves in the form of necklaces, amulets, and bracelets. Ancient Amerindians used beads as personal adornments, in religious ceremonies, and to decorate clothing. Native American beaded art is popular in fashion today and is a major source of income for many people. Almost everyone has seen turquoise beaded watch straps or Native American necklaces and belts.
Beading was, and still is, part of the Native American Society. Many tribes had quilling societies that were sacred to women. To join the society, a young woman had to be recruited and then carefully instructed and trained in the arts of beading. The process of making the picks was sacred, but the finished piece, to be used by someone, was not considered sacred. The product was of secondary importance to the manufacturing process. The focus was on thoughts, prayers and work, not on the finished piece, very different from Western society, which tends to value the finished product and ignore the process of creation.
There are contemporary beadworkers who report that beadwork is almost a spiritual experience for them, as they embrace the art of creation as much as the finished work, and focus on perfecting the art rather than a race to complete the end product. Carol Willoughby in THE BEADS SHUTTLE, [http://www.thebeadcottage.com/]is an example of a person who appreciates the spiritual side of beads as much as the finished product.