Post: Post Reply: Re: Another Mystery In The Bead Room by karavanserai

Original Message: Re: Another Mystery In The Bead Room

Hello, this is a bit out of my comfort zone, but these beads remind me of the strands worn by the Apa Tani from Arunachal Pradesh (N-E India). I have some strands with some bigger melon beads as well, but the ones below have a diameter betw 0,7 and 0,9mm.
In "Beads" nr 24 (2012) journal of the Society of Beads Researchers, a whole article was dedicated to the beads worn by the Apatani. See "Heirloom Blue-Glass Melon Beads of the Tani Tribes, Northeast India", by Barbie Campbell Cole
Summary: " The Tani tribes of Arunachal Pradesh in India's remote northeast wear various heirloom necklaces including those composed of highly distinctive melon-shaped beads of wound turquoise-blue glass. These are unique to central Arunachal and were already of considerable age and very highly prized in the early 19th century. The Tanis believe their beads were made by a mythical ancestor in Tibet, but their bubbly opaque blue glass and wound method of production suggest a Chinese origin. The beads have local names which appear to link them to Tsari, one of Tibet's most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For centuries, the hostile animist Tanis were bought off by the Tibetan government with ornaments and other gifts in return for not robbing the Tsari pilgrims. This article seeks to determine if the Tani melon beads were part of this Tsari "barbarian tribute," as well as where and when they were made, and why they were traded into this region of Northeast India and not elsewhere."
I remember that in the article it is also mentioned that these beads are still recently being made but that it is hard to detect the difference between old and new. The Apatani recognize it from the different sound they make when tapping the beads together. Nowadays very few can tell. I am sure mine below are new. They certainly have a different , more polished and smooth finish than yours.
This Beads journal 24 (2012)I think, can still be ordered at SBR (scroll down to nr 24), see link below.
I'll show some examples of the rounder melon beads tomorrow.
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

Original Message: Re: Another Mystery In The Bead Room
Hello, this is a bit out of my comfort zone, but these beads remind me of the strands worn by the Apa Tani from Arunachal Pradesh (N-E India). I have some strands with some bigger melon beads as well, but the ones below have a diameter betw 0,7 and 0,9mm. In "Beads" nr 24 (2012) journal of the Society of Beads Researchers, a whole article was dedicated to the beads worn by the Apatani. See "Heirloom Blue-Glass Melon Beads of the Tani Tribes, Northeast India", by Barbie Campbell Cole Summary: " The Tani tribes of Arunachal Pradesh in India's remote northeast wear various heirloom necklaces including those composed of highly distinctive melon-shaped beads of wound turquoise-blue glass. These are unique to central Arunachal and were already of considerable age and very highly prized in the early 19th century. The Tanis believe their beads were made by a mythical ancestor in Tibet, but their bubbly opaque blue glass and wound method of production suggest a Chinese origin. The beads have local names which appear to link them to Tsari, one of Tibet's most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For centuries, the hostile animist Tanis were bought off by the Tibetan government with ornaments and other gifts in return for not robbing the Tsari pilgrims. This article seeks to determine if the Tani melon beads were part of this Tsari "barbarian tribute," as well as where and when they were made, and why they were traded into this region of Northeast India and not elsewhere." I remember that in the article it is also mentioned that these beads are still recently being made but that it is hard to detect the difference between old and new. The Apatani recognize it from the different sound they make when tapping the beads together. Nowadays very few can tell. I am sure mine below are new. They certainly have a different , more polished and smooth finish than yours. This Beads journal 24 (2012)I think, can still be ordered at SBR (scroll down to nr 24), see link below. I'll show some examples of the rounder melon beads tomorrow. Copyright 2024 All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

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