Indigenous Disk Beads in the Southern Southwest

Contemporary, Ethnographic, Ethnohistorical, and Archaeological Evidence

Bibliographic Data

ID5981972
AuthorsBrian Medchill (Gila River Indian Community), Chris Loendorf (Gila River Indian Community), Teresa Rodrigues (0000-0001-5107-4999, Gila River Indian Community)
Year2020
Volume86
Issue4
Pages428-447
Publication date2020-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueKIVA (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0023-1940 • E-ISSN: 2051-6177
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00231940.2020.1775425
OpenAlexW3038239958
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

Within the Phoenix Basin in southern Arizona, disk beads have long been highly valued. Remarkably, the Akimel O’Odham (i.e., Pima) and Pee Posh (i.e., Maricopa) still place great importance on them today. Similar beads were formed from shell, stone, and clay. The effort necessary to manufacture beads from these constituents varies, but beads made from different materials are often macroscopically indistinguishable. Furthermore, some raw materials had to be imported, while other constituents were locally available. These factors should have affected the value of different bead types, and ethnographic evidence shows that indigenous people have clearly defined preferences for attributes, including color and material. In particular, beads made from shell and turquoise are recognized as being most valuable. This paper presents archaeological, ethnohistorical, ethnographic, and contemporary data that show that small disk beads were a form of wealth that was employed in trade transactions

Archaeological evidence · Archaeology · Assemblage (archaeology) · Bead · Biology · Composite material · Ethnography · Ethnology · Geography · Indigenous · Metropolitan area · Phoenix · Shell (structure) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Natural History · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Ecology · History · Materials Science

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