From Shells to Seed Beads
A journey through the evolution of Native beadwork, from natural materials to vibrant trade beads
Beadwork before beads
Before sustained European contact in the 1500s, Native peoples across the Great Lakes, Eastern Woodlands, and Plains decorated regalia with shells, bone, stone, porcupine quills, and copper. These materials were often dyed with plants and stitched with sinew or plant fibers.
Lakota Sioux Cradleboard Cover (1885) by UnknownRed Earth
The art of quillwork
Quillwork, a refined and time-intensive technique, was used to decorate bags, belts, and other regalia. Flattened and dyed porcupine quills were stitched into intricate geometric or natural motifs.
Before beads, items like dentilium shells and elk teeth were prized adornments. On the left, dentilium shells decorate the outer panel of a cradleboard, while on the right, elk teeth embellish a young girls toy cradleboard. These materials signified skill, status, and trade, and even after European contact they remained cherished in regalia and baby carriers.
Fox Loom-Beaded Sash by UnknownRed Earth
Trade introduces glass beads
With European contact in the 1500s, came glass seed beads; small, colorful, and easier to work with than quills and bone. They quickly became prized trade goods and were incorporated into Indigenous design traditions.
New styles emerge across regions
From the 1600s to 1800s, glass beads spread inland through trade. From floral patterns in the Great Lakes to bold geometrics in the Plains, each tribe made the medium their own, blending new materials with cultural traditions.
Regalia becomes a living canvas
By the 1800s, glass beads found their place in powwow regalia, accenting gloves, dance belts, headbands and more. These wearable artworks speak to tribal pride, identity, and family legacy.
Beadwork tells community stories
Some pieces feature clan symbols, flags, animals, or spiritual emblems. These motifs connect the maker, wearer, and viewer across generations and geographies.
Tradition and innovation today
Contemporary artists continue to push beadwork forward, mixing historic techniques with new materials, colors, and themes that reflect both tradition and contemporary Native life.
Kiowa Infant Boy’s Buckskin Jacket with Beadwork and Brass Buttons Kiowa Infant Boy’s Buckskin Jacket with Beadwork and Brass Buttons (ca. 1870s) by UnknownRed Earth
A living tradition
From shell and sinew to glass and glue, Native beadwork reflects centuries of adaptation, trade, and cultural resilience. It continues today as a living, evolving art form.
Photography by
Danny Sands
Ann Sherman
Research by
Chelsey Curry
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