- Kathleen Scavone
- Posted On
Lake County Time Capsule: Clamshell beads
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Eastern and Southeastern Pomo Indians, along with other native peoples, used clamshell beads for trade.
Along with the beads' use as a medium for trade, clamshell bead necklaces signified wealth in those communities.
Although trade and use of bead necklaces were different in the various communities, according to the writings of the 1926 Edward Winslow Gifford papers, it was ascertained that there were expeditions to Bodega Bay by the Southeastern Pomo Indians. Then, they would bring back packs weighing up to 100 pounds full of clamshells.
Differing accounts were given of the type of trade items exchanged, but they could include bows, obsidian arrowheads, salt cakes, feathers or skins.
Taken from my historical novella, “People of the Water”: “Plans for the journey to the sea were made well in advance. The men from the village readied their carrying baskets by packing much in the way of trade goods. They packed acorns, skins, fish, obsidian and magnesite beads. These unique, cylindrical beads were made from a special stone. Some were worn by the wealthy, and some beads were incorporated into decoration on baskets. They also brought striking strands of painstakingly crafted clamshell beads.
“These beads were part of their monetary system, and an important commodity. Large strands of beads designated wealth in the community. The process of bead-making required much time, and was not an easy task. To the contrary, it was a specialized occupation. The shells were first collected, then broken into pieces. They were then smoothed into disc shapes by rubbing the shells on the rough surface of a stone. Next, a hole was drilled in the center of the bead. When the beads were strung, they could be smoothed into uniform and rounded shapes.
“The profession of bead-making was inherited. The process was undertaken with utmost care. The bead-maker was sure to rise early in the morning to complete his task, having abstained from meat beforehand. It was important for the process of clamshell bead-making to take place outside the house. If this taboo were to be broken, then certainly the drill would break. The drill-bit was typically flaked from flint, while the string for the pump-drill was often made from sturdy woven grasses, or leather. In times past another type of drill was in use. It was a shaft which was rolled back and forth, by hand, on the bead maker's leg. When completed, the beads were carefully polished to a sheen on deerskin, each disc standing out like a full, white moon on a black, star-lit night."
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.