Beads - Beads (English spelling)

Japanese: ビーズ - びーず（英語表記）beads

Ornamental beads for handicrafts. They are small beads made of gemstones, glass, wood/crystal, or pasted materials in various shapes such as tubes, balls, rings, sheaths, embossed shapes (circular shapes with decorative engravings), and teardrop shapes, and new shapes are invented every year. Recently, light and shiny beads made from petroleum-based acetyloid fillers have become available.

[Kumiko Ichikawa]

history

Amber has been used as an ornament since around 3000 BC. It is made from natural products such as gemstones, shells, river pearls, animal bones, and horns. Nets decorated with sapphire beads, rings made of turquoise beads, and chest ornaments made around 2000 BC have been excavated. In addition, black jade (obsidian), glass, amber, turquoise, carnelian, ceramics, jasper, and agate were widely used by the Belgians and Southern Bretons, and were used in tiaras (a crown-shaped item used for formal attire, studded with gemstones), bracelets, and necklaces. Many amber beads have been found in Anglo-Saxon graves, and they were used to decorate weapons. Since the 16th century, amber has risen and fallen in popularity as an ornament and in clothing, and added color to small items such as handbags, necklaces, anklets, bracelets, tiaras (an ornament mainly worn on the ankle), and tassels, as well as accessories. From the 18th century onwards, it became popular to attach them to clothing, such as by covering the entire surface of the garment, but in the latter half of the 19th century, it faded into obscurity. Nowadays, around 1970, it started to become popular again, and with a completely new feel and tendency, it is widely used from clothing decoration to general accessories and small items.

[Kumiko Ichikawa]

technique

Beads can be strung on a thread and made into strings or tassels for decoration; beads can be woven into beaded fabric by threading beads onto the weft thread; decorative beads can be made by threading wire into artificial flowers, brooches, necklaces, etc.; and woven beads can be threaded through lace thread or eyelet thread using a lace needle.

In clothing, designs are drawn on fabric and then sewn onto it using beads in various ways, or embroidered as a single bead on the edging of clothing. There is also embroidery in which other shiny materials are combined and sewn together. When shiny materials are used for embroidery, it is called bright work.

[Kumiko Ichikawa]

ancient egyptian shell beads
New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC) Shell, length 21cm, owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art

ancient egyptian shell beads

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

装飾用、手芸用の飾り玉。宝石、ガラス、ウッド・クリスタル、練り物などで、管状、玉状、輪状、鞘(さや)状、エンボス形（円形の外郭に飾り彫りを施したもの）、涙形（ドロップ形）など、さまざまな形につくった小さな玉のことで、形に関しては年ごとに新しいものが生まれている。最近では石油を原料としたアセチロイドフィルでつくられた軽くて光沢のよいものがある。

［市川久美子］

歴史

紀元前3000年ごろから装飾品として存在していた。宝石、貝殻、河真珠、獣骨、角など、自然界の産物を素材としている。前2000年ごろにつくられた、ネットに飾り付けられた青玉のビーズ、トルコ石のビーズの指輪、胸飾りなどが発掘されている。また黒玉（黒曜石）、ガラス、こはく、トルコ石、紅玉、陶質、碧玉(へきぎょく)、めのうなどは、ベルギー人や南部ブルトン人に多く用いられ、ティアラ（正装の場合に用いる冠形をしたもので、宝石などをちりばめてつくる）、ブレスレット、ネックレスなどに利用された。アングロ・サクソン人の墓跡からは、こはくのビーズが多く発見されており、それは武器の装飾として用いられた。16世紀以降、装飾や服飾に盛衰を繰り返しながら、ハンドバッグ、ネックレス、アンクレット、ブレスレット、ティアーラ（おもにくるぶしにつける装飾品）、房類などの小物、またはアクセサリーに色を添えた。18世紀以降になると、服飾として衣服の全面に施されるなど、主として衣服につけることが流行したが、19世紀後半になってやや影を潜めた。そして現代、1970年ごろから流行を始め、まったく新しい感覚と傾向で、衣服の装飾から一般的なアクセサリー、小物類にまで、幅広く利用されている。

［市川久美子］