Bead-work

(Glossary Term)

A general term referring to the application of beads to a ground fabric for decorative purpose. The beads may be applied individually or as strips of beads, sewn or glued into place. Red, black and white beads are common in several regions of Indonesia, while prized shell beads and ancient glass beads were traded from coastal areas and distant lands. In the case of some textiles it is the applied beads that embody the greatest protective power – when the fabric becomes worn or damaged the bead-work is removed and re-applied to a new cloth. Bead-work may be applied randomly as simple decoration, in highly symbolic geometric formations or in bold, expressive figurative forms.