shell beads
Strung marine decorations
Shell beads are small decorative objects made from shells, pierced or shaped for stringing.
They appear in jewelry, ornamentation, and historically as currency—wampum beads among Indigenous North American peoples were carved from shells.
The term covers both ancient artifacts and contemporary craft materials: The necklace was strung with tiny shell beads.
- wampumIndigenous American bead currency
- native craftsTraditional local handmade goods
- mother-of-pearlIridescent inner shell coating
- mollusk shellsInvertebrate exoskeletons from sea
- stringingPassing through sequentially
pendants · drilling · nacre · trade goods · gift exchange · perforation · quahog · coastal tribes · burial goods · archaeological finds · polishing · necklaces · sanding · bracelets · cowrie shells · threaded · earrings · cultural heritage
- Caribbean archaeologypottery shards, burial sites, ball courts, three-pointers, cave art
- beadsglass bead, seed bead, prayer bead, rosary bead, pony bead
- shellsseashells, sea shells, clam, oyster, mussel
- ancient adornmentjade jewelry, gold ornaments, necklaces, bracelets, earrings
- Indigenous Craftstotem poles, quillwork, dreamcatchers, moccasins, birch bark
- Pre-Columbian artifactsancient artifacts, clay figurines, ceramic vessels, stone carvings, burial goods
material composition
shell beadsplastic beads
Synthetic spheres for jewelry
glass beads · stone beads · metal beads · ceramic beads · crystal beads