Trade goods

Beads manufactured nowadays differ from those made one or two hundred years ago, particulary in colour shades and shape. Antique beads were all of European origin and made of glass. The articless discusses history of seed and pony beads and differences between historic and modern beads colours and shapes. It contains images of many Plains Indians pre-reservation items and list of the most widespread 19th century bead colours.

This article examines the history, manufacture, and cultural significance of woollen cloth with white undyed “saved lists,” a distinctive feature highly valued by the Plains Indians from the 18th to 19th centuries. It explores the English origins of the cloth, traditional natural dyes (notably indigo and cochineal), the economic reasons for preserving undyed selvedges, and how Indigenous peoples transformed these waste edges into prominent decorative and symbolic elements. The persistence of this design feature—maintained even after synthetic dyes rendered the practice obsolete—reflects both its aesthetic appeal and its enduring role in trade relations.