Padre Beads, 7-10mm - Strung

Brief History of Padre Beads

Padre beads were originally made in China and taken to America, Africa, and India by traders during the 18th and the 19th century. Padre beads were made in a variety of colors, but blue and white were the most sought after by the Northwest Indians. The name by which these beads have become known, 'padre' originates from the Franciscan priests (padres) who gave the beads to Native Americans for their good work and to convert them to Christianity.

In 1778, English explorer, Captain James Cook made the earliest mention of these beads with several references to the effect that it was difficult to obtain supplies and furs from the Pacific coast Indians without this particular blue bead. About Padre beads and the Indians tribes along the Columbia River, Captain Lewis said, "only the blue and white beads were acceptable, the most desired, are the common cheap, blue beads called 'Chief Beads'.

The original padre beads, made from wound glass, were opaque with a sky-blue or a turquoise shade, but were also made in cobalt, red, white, black, clear, and yellow. However, African bead sellers and collectors pasted the name 'padre beads' to all opaque turquoise-blue glass beads, even those that were Venetian or Czech. This means padre trade beads come in all shapes, sizes, and styles since they are not made in one place. Padre beads are mentioned by Lewis and Clark and they stated that the beads helped them to trade with the natives.

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A History of Venetian Chevron Beads

Venetian glass trade beads, including those know as chevrons (also known as rosetta or star beads) played a crucial role in the competition among European nations from the 15th to the 19th century. Chevron beads are special glass beads; the first specimens of this type were created by glass bead makers in Venice and Murano, Italy, toward the end of the 14th century. The first examples were invented by the Venetian glass artist, Marietta Barovier. They may also be referred to as rosetta, or star beads. The term rosetta first appeared in the inventory of the Barovier Glass works in Murano, in 1496, in context with beads as well as with other glass objects. Go to Article >>

Trade Bead Migration into North America

The first record of European glass beads coming into the Americas is in Columbus’ own log where he describes how e presented the natives with “red caps and some strings of (green) glass beads”, (Orchard, 1975) and “in this simple manner was begun the acculturation process that led ultimately to the disintegration of aboriginal American culture” (Quimby, 1966). The holds of the ships of those who followed contained a variety of trade goods: trinkets, iron knives, guns, kettles, hatchets, broadcloth and beads, beads, beads.
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Tracking a Conquistador with Beads: Desoto’s calling cards?

Five years after Fernbank Museum launched an archaeological expedition to investigate the history of early contact between Native American Indians and Europeans in Georgia, their exhibit, De Soto’s Footsteps, On view May 22, 2010 – March 31, 2012 showcases some of the rare artifacts that tell of those encounters and will reveal the significance of the findings..
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Seed Bead History and Use by Native American Tribes

The purpose of this article is to provide a thumbnail sketch of the history of one of the most popular trade items used in Native American craftwork. The use of the “seed bead” by Native Americans beginning in the 1800s was the result of hundreds of years of European glass technology intersecting with the westward expansion of the United States across the continent.
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