HOLMEBl CLASSIFICATION OF BEADS. 219 



BEADS. 



I .shall not attempt witbiu the limits of this paper to give more than 

 an outline of this important division of my subject. 



The use of beads seems to have been almost universal with peoples 

 of all times and of all grades of culture, and the custom of wearing 

 them is a relic of barbarism that promises to be carried a long way 

 into the future. All suitable natural objects have been brought into 

 requisition— animal, vegetable, and mineral. Shells from the sea, pre- 

 cious stones from the mountains, and fruits from the forest have been 

 utilized ; and claws of birds, teeth of animals, and even the nails of the 

 human baud have been worked into ornaments to gratify the barbaric 

 vanity of the " untutored savage." The flinty substance of the shells of 

 mollusks has been a favorite material at all times and with all peoples. 

 Especially is this true of the shell-loving natives of North America, 

 among whom shell beads have been in use lar back into the prehistoric 

 ages, and who today, from Oregon to Florida, burden themselves to 

 discomfort with multiple strings of their favorite ornament ; and this, 

 too, without reference to their value as money or their service as charms. 

 On the necks of brawny and unkempt savages I have seen necklaces 

 made of the highly glazed OUva, or of the iridescent nacre of the pearly 

 EaUotis, that would not shame a regal wardrobe, and have marveled at 

 the untaught appreciation of beauty displayed. 



Beads made of shell may have three divisions based upon derivation, 

 and three based upon function. 



First, they consist of all smaller varieties of natural shells, pierced 

 for suspension, or only slightly altered, to add to beauty or convenience ; 

 second, they are made of the shells of bivalves and the outer walls of 

 univalves ; or, third, of the columellai of the larger univalves cut to the 

 desired sizes, and shaped and polished to suit the savage taste. 



As to function, they may be classed as personal ornaments, as money, 

 and as material for mnemonic records. 



PERFORATED SHELLS. 



Under this head I shall examine briefly the manner of piercing or alter- 

 ing the smaller varieties of shells preparatory to stringing. The multi- 

 tudes of perforated shells exhumed from the graves of our ancient tribes 

 afford a fruitful field of study, and our large collections of more recent 

 specimens serve to illustrate the manner in which they were employed. 



In Plate XXXII illustrations are given showing the various methods 

 of manipulation and perforation. In North America the Mq^inella, the yh 

 OUva, and the Gyprea seem to lead in importance. 



Fig. 1 represents an OUva, the apex of which has been broken away 

 and the rough edge ground down, producing a passage for a thread, 

 ■which may be introduced through the natural aperture below. This is 



