Beads

Item number Sf675 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

67 golden, ellipsoid beads strung on synthetic monofilament. The beads are rolled from a flat sheet of metal and have a simple lapped seam. The average bead length is 2.3 cm. and the diameter is 0.7 cm. The gold of the beads has a greenish cast and they are quite tarnished.

History Of Use

Probably beads from necklaces. This style of rolled beads often has Chimu associations (north coast, 750-1476 C.E.), but there are other examples that are identified as the much earlier Vicus or Nazca Styles (c. 200 C.E.). Alan Sawyer (p.c.) has suggested these beads may be post-Spanish in date (post 1532 C.E.). This simple form of beads has a wide distribution through time and space.