Beaded Indian Jewelry

Plains Indian beadwork is most famous, with its intricate peyote jewelry and bone hairpipe chokers, but there are beadwork traditions throughout North America, from the wampum jewelry of the eastern Indians to the shell and turquoise heishi necklaces of the southwestern Indians, from the floral beadwork of the northern Indians to the dentalium strands of the west coast Indians, and everything in between. Beads were a common trade item since ancient times, so it wasn't surprising to see quahog wampum from the east coast in Great Lakes beadwork or abalone shells from the west coast in Cherokee jewelry, even before the Europeans arrived and forced everyone onto reservations near each other. Here are some fine examples of different beaded Native American jewelry styles.