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.
Go to Article >>