BEAD TRADE IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO AREA

Beads were used in early trading by the Native American communities in Illinois and the Chicago area. Before the arrival of Europeans, beads were made of natural materials like stones, bones, and shells. Beads have been found in excavations of mound dweller sites in Illinois dating back 2000 years. French explorers and traders in the 17th Century and later other Europeans introduced ceramic and then glass beads. Native Americans often used these beads to weave bands for clothing and jewelry. The Native American bead trade added an outlet which helped to stimulate the manufacture of beads in Europe. As bead manufacturing increased, the cost of production and therefore the price of beads declined, making beads more affordable and more widely used in trade.

The Beadshaper is hosting a drawing in honor of her new boutique for the sale of hand crafted glass beads, pendants, and beaded wire wrap jewelry at the Andersonville Galleria, 5247 N Clark Street, in Chicago. Please stop by for a chance to win an exciting beautiful glass pendant with a sterling silver bale.

Beadshaper Click here to return to the Beadshaper website.

Pendants

Pendants were among the earliest forms of jewelry. A copper pendant believed to have been made in Sumeria, the first civilization, around 8700 B.C. has been found by archaeologists. In Babylonia around the 8th Century B.C. seals that were used to sign documents by imprinting in wet clay tablets were worn as pendants. The earliest pendants were made of stone, but later glass and gemstones were substituted. The Pharaohs in agent Egypt wore a type of pendant called a cartouche. The cartouche had a rectangular shape and had the name of the Pharaoh inscribed on it. It was supposed to protect him from evil. The ancient Greeks made gold pendants. The Greek necklace often featured multiple small vase-shaped pendants portraying figures of deities in Greek mythology. The ancient Romans also made gold pendants, but they more often consisted of one focal pendant. Sometimes a cabochon gem would be set in the gold pendant. Pendants were also worn in ancient India and ancient China.

Do you live on the North Side of Chicago or anywhere in the Chicago area? The Beadshaper will be featuring a number of eye popping glass bead pendants in her new booth at the Andersonville Galleria on Clark Street. One of these pendants will really enhance the outfit you wear to the office or your casual wear in the evening. Please visit. With sensually vibrant but tasteful jewelry like this, who needs diamonds?


Beadshaper Click here to return to the Beadshaper website.